Solution:

Let us assume,
the radius of the river is R.
the speed of beast is S.
the speed of duck is S/4.
Circumference = 2 * Pi * R.

Now, if duck swims R/4 distance from the center of the river and then begins to swim across the river in center implies both duck and beast can take the round trip in same time.
Explanation :
time by beast : 2 * Pi* R * S
time by duck : 2 * Pi* R/4 * S/4 => 2 * Pi* R * S


Now, the duck can move slowly inward toward the center of the river, and begin swimming around the center in a circle from this distance. It is now going around a very slightly smaller circle than it was a moment ago, and thus will be able to swim around this circle FASTER than the beast can run around the shore.

The duck can keep swimming around this way, pulling further away each second, until finally it is on the opposite side of its inner circle from where the beast is on the shore. At this point, the duck aims directly toward the closest shore and begins swimming that way. At this point, the duck has to swim [0.75R feet + 1 millimeter] to get to shore. Meanwhile, the beast will have to run R*pi feet (half the circumference of the river) to get to where the duck is headed.
The beast runs four times as fast as the duck, but you can see that it has more than four times as far to run:

[0.75R feet + 1 millimeter] * 4 < R*pi

[This math could actually be incorrect if R were very small, but, in that case, we could just say the duck swam inward even less than a millimeter and make the math work out correctly.]

Because the duck has less than a fourth of the distance to travel as the beast, it will reach the shore before the beast reaches where it is and successfully escape.

Solution:

Solution is shown in image below

Solution:

Let us assume that all of them are standing on the X shore and they have to travel to the Y shore.

X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, first son, second son, maid and dog
Y = None

Maid and dog go first and maid returns back
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, first son, second son and maid
Y = dog

Maid and first son go and maid returns with dog
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, second son, maid and dog
Y = first son

Father and second son go and father returns back
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, maid and dog
Y = first son and second son

Mother and father go and mother comes back
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter, maid and dog
Y = father, first son and second son

Maid and Dog go and Father returns back
X = mother, first daughter, second daughter and father
Y = first son, second son, maid and dog

Father and Mother go and mother comes back
X = mother, first daughter and second daughter
Y = father, first son, second son, maid and dog

Mother and first daughter go and maid comes back with dog
X = second daughter, maid and dog
Y = mother, first daughter, father, first son and second son

Maid and second daughter go and maid comes back
X = Maid and dog
Y = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, first son and second son

Maid and dog go
X= none
Y = mother, first daughter, second daughter, father, first son, second son, maid and dog

Thus everyone has reached the other end.

Solution:

Move and then pour all juice from second glass to fifth glass.

Solution:

Six.

There are only five colors, so six socks guarantee that two will be the same color.

Solution:

3,3,8

Lets break it down. The product of their ages is 72. So what are the possible choices?

2, 2, 18 sum(2, 2, 18) = 22
2, 4, 9 sum(2, 4, 9) = 15
2, 6, 6 sum(2, 6, 6) = 14
2, 3, 12 sum(2, 3, 12) = 17
3, 4, 6 sum(3, 4, 6) = 13
3, 3, 8 sum(3, 3, 8 ) = 14
1, 8, 9 sum(1,8,9) = 18
1, 3, 24 sum(1, 3, 24) = 28
1, 4, 18 sum(1, 4, 18) = 23
1, 2, 36 sum(1, 2, 36) = 39
1, 6, 12 sum(1, 6, 12) = 19

The sum of their ages is the same as your birth date. That could be anything from 1 to 31 but the fact that Torres was unable to find out the ages, it means there are two or more combinations with the same sum. From the choices above, only two of them are possible now.

2, 6, 6 sum(2, 6, 6) = 14
3, 3, 8 sum(3, 3, 8 ) = 14

Since the eldest kid is taking piano lessons, we can eliminate combination 1 since there are two eldest ones. The answer is 3, 3 and 8.

Solution:

The check was for dollars 31.63.

The bank teller gave her dollars 63.31
She spent .05, and then she had dollars 63.26, which is twice the check.

Let x be the dollars of the check, and y be the cent.

The check was for 100x + y cent
He was given 100y + x cent

Also
100y + x - 5 = 2(100x + y)
Expanding this out and rearranging, we find:
98y = 199x + 5

or 199x ≡ -5 (mod 98)
or 98*2*x + 3x ≡ -5 (mod 98)
3x ≡ -5 ≡ 93 (mod 98)
this quickly leads to x = 31

Solution:

7, 4, 6, 5, 8

Solution:

Playing chess

Game needs two players so Brother-8 is playing chess with Brother-2

Solution:

NONE, holes are empty.

Solution:

If you see the picture, they formed a pentagonal shape and achieved the required.