The 12 Days of Christmas

     In the seasonally popular song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, presents are sent every day for 12 days. Some people think that on the twelfth day there are only 12 gifts given, but if you listen closely to the song...

 12 drummers drumming,

 11 pipers piping,

 10 lords a leaping,

  9 ladies dancing,

  8 maids a milking,

  7 swans a swimming,

  6 geese a laying,

  5 gold rings,

  4 calling birds,

  3 French hens,

  2 turtle doves, and

  A partridge in a pear tree

You will find that the number of gifts to arrive on the 12th day is

12 + 11 + 10 + 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 78

     If no gifts are thrown away or given away during the 12 days, how many gifts will there be at the end of the song?


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