At work, the following was passed to the email list with a $5 starbucks card as prize for the first person to get it right. Finally a chance for me to use my finely-tuned puzzle solving skills to use besides in job interviews.
> Diophantus was an algebraist who lived in Alexandria in the third
> century AD. Most of what is known about his life comes from an
> epigram about him (which has been slightly simplified.)
>
> His boyhood lasted a sixth of his life.
> His beard grew after another twelfth.
> He married after a seventh more and his son was born nine years later.
> When he died, he had been a father for half of his life.
> How long did he live?

Answer follows:

You need a number that is divisible by 7,6,and 12. 12*8=84 which happens to be divisible by 6, so that was my first try.
14 years childhood
beard grew 7 years, until he was 21
married after 12 years, when he was 33
son born when he was 42
42*2=84
Bing. Five bucks worth of coffee!!!!