Who are Ann and Thomas Putnam? What do they suggest is Betty's problem? What is their motivation for suggesting this?

Answer 1

Um, this is not an algebra question, as you indicated. However, Ann and Thomas Putnam are an important family in the town. Their daughter is also "sick" like Betty. They are the first to suggest aloud that the problem is witchcraft. They may have a number of motivations, but one is that they want someone to blame for their other children dying shortly after birth. Another is that they, like many in the town, do not particularly like Reverend Parris, and having his daughter bewitched might be a way to run him out of town.