Riddle game.
" Two mathematicians are each assigned a positive integer. They are told that the product of the two numbers is either 8 or 16. Neither knows the other's number. This is their conversation: First mathematician: "I don't know your number." Second mathematician: "I don't know your number." First mathematician: "Give me a hint." Second mathematician: "No, you give me a hint." At this point, one of the mathematicians knows the other's number. Assuming that they always tell the truth and do not guess, what is the number and who has it? Still sane exile?
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First thought: the number is 4, assigned to mathematician #2 and known by #1. Reasoning to come later.
Edit: reasoning. Stage 1: Mathematician #1 says "I don't know your number." This translates to: "Out of the potential choices of 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16, my number is not 16, because then it would be obvious that your number is 1." Stage 2: Mathematician #2 says "I don't know your number." This translates to: "My number is not 16 either, for the same reasons you stated. It also is not 1, because the product must be 8 or 16, and since 16 is out, it would have to be 8, and therefore your number would be 8, and I would know it." Stage 3: Mathematician #1 says "Give me a hint." This translates to: "My number is not 1, for the same reasons you stated. It also is not 8, because (now that 1 is ruled out) if it were then it would be obvious that your number is 2." Stage 4: Mathematician #2 says "No, you give me a hint." This translates to: "My number is not 8, for the same reasons you stated. It also is not 2, because if it were I would know that your number is 4." Stage 5: Mathematician #1 rules out 1, 2, 8, and 16, and is left with 4 as mathematician #2's number. QED. I have wandered through insanity; I have walked the spiral out. Heard its twisted dreamed inanity In a whisper, in a shout. In the babbling cacophony The refrains are all the same: "[permutations of humanity] are unworthy of the name!" Last edited by Skivverus#5720 on Jul 16, 2012, 9:55:19 AM
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" Correct :) I guess you are up :) Still sane exile?
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My initial reasoning actually went as follows, by the way: "It's #1, because #2 just spoke, and it's 4, because the stuff will get ruled out from the outside in".
Much shorter, but also less rigorous. I like this one, more because of the imagery than because it's hard (it isn't, really): My thunder comes before the lightning My lightning comes before the clouds My rain dries all the land it touches What am I? I have wandered through insanity;
I have walked the spiral out. Heard its twisted dreamed inanity In a whisper, in a shout. In the babbling cacophony The refrains are all the same: "[permutations of humanity] are unworthy of the name!" |
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" An erupting volcano or an exploding nuclear bomb? Two mathematicians riddle: On first read I immediately thought of number 4, but my reasoning is illogical lol. The two mathematicians repeat the same thing so they have the same number. Don't ask why my brain is weird I'm aware of it but I do not know the reason lol. You get what you deserve...
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" Mmhm. You're up. I have wandered through insanity;
I have walked the spiral out. Heard its twisted dreamed inanity In a whisper, in a shout. In the babbling cacophony The refrains are all the same: "[permutations of humanity] are unworthy of the name!" |
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" Oh crap, didn't think I'd actually get it right lol. Well here goes: Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I? You get what you deserve...
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" Fire. I know a lot of riddles. XD Since I know that's right, here's mine. I have a head and also a tail. I am brown, but have no legs. What am I? Last edited by Catgoth89#2779 on Jul 18, 2012, 10:18:15 PM
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A brown snake.
A brown fish. |
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"Just posting here because caps' name breaks the forum. TehHammer is not a crime!
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