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Enigma/Word Problem/Riddle Thread - Entertain The OT
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:10 pm
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:10 pm
Full disclosure I stole these from a movie, I wanted the OP to have some good ones in it. Unfortunately that means you can probably google these for the answers so hopefully we won't have a bunch of melvins come in and post the answers to ruin the fun. Please explain your answers for all to enjoy.
1) Using a 4 minute hourglass and a 7 minute hourglass how would you measure exactly 9 minutes?
2)There are three switches outside a room. One of them controls a lightbulb that's inside the room, while the other two are not connected to anything. You can turn the switches 'on' or 'off' and also enter the room to see the lightbulb. What is the fewest number of times you will need to enter the room to determine which switch is connected to the bulb? (You can't see if the lightbulb is 'on' or 'off' from the outside. And all switches are in the 'off' position when you start.)
3)You have three opaque boxes. One box contains chocolate candies, another contains mint candies, and the last box contains a mixture of chocolate and mint. The boxes are labeled Chocolate, Mint and Mixed. None of the boxes are labeled correctly. You can take one candy out of each box (without looking directly into the box) and see what you get. What is the minimum number of boxes you have to open (and take one candy out) to assign correct labels to all boxes?
4)A student asks his professor: “What are the ages of your three children?” The professor replies: “If you multiply their ages you get 36, and if you add them you get my house number.” “I know your house number, but that’s not enough information!” says the student. To that the professor answered: “True. The oldest lives upstairs.” What are the ages of the three children?
And please, post your own.
1) Using a 4 minute hourglass and a 7 minute hourglass how would you measure exactly 9 minutes?
2)There are three switches outside a room. One of them controls a lightbulb that's inside the room, while the other two are not connected to anything. You can turn the switches 'on' or 'off' and also enter the room to see the lightbulb. What is the fewest number of times you will need to enter the room to determine which switch is connected to the bulb? (You can't see if the lightbulb is 'on' or 'off' from the outside. And all switches are in the 'off' position when you start.)
3)You have three opaque boxes. One box contains chocolate candies, another contains mint candies, and the last box contains a mixture of chocolate and mint. The boxes are labeled Chocolate, Mint and Mixed. None of the boxes are labeled correctly. You can take one candy out of each box (without looking directly into the box) and see what you get. What is the minimum number of boxes you have to open (and take one candy out) to assign correct labels to all boxes?
4)A student asks his professor: “What are the ages of your three children?” The professor replies: “If you multiply their ages you get 36, and if you add them you get my house number.” “I know your house number, but that’s not enough information!” says the student. To that the professor answered: “True. The oldest lives upstairs.” What are the ages of the three children?
And please, post your own.
This post was edited on 3/6/14 at 3:12 pm
9
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:27 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
The real puzzle is what;s the movie?
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:32 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
I figured out the first one (i think).
Take the four and seven minute hour glasses and start them at the same time. When the four minute hour glass finishes, tip them on their side to stop the countdown.
That should leave 3 minutes in the seven minute hour glass.
Restart the four minute hour glass as well as let the remaining three minutes of the seven minute hour glass expire. tip them both on their side to stop the flow.
7 minutes have expired. There should be 1 minute remaining in the four minute hour glass, none in the 7 minute hour glass.
Tip over the 7 minute hour glass and allow the remaining minute to expire in the four minute hour glass. When that minute expires, tip them on their side to stop the flow.
8 minutes have expired.
There should be no flow remaining in the four minute hour glass, while one minute is now available in the 7 minute hour glass.
Reverse the 7 minute hour glass and you have reached 9 minutes.
BOOM BITCHES!
Take the four and seven minute hour glasses and start them at the same time. When the four minute hour glass finishes, tip them on their side to stop the countdown.
That should leave 3 minutes in the seven minute hour glass.
Restart the four minute hour glass as well as let the remaining three minutes of the seven minute hour glass expire. tip them both on their side to stop the flow.
7 minutes have expired. There should be 1 minute remaining in the four minute hour glass, none in the 7 minute hour glass.
Tip over the 7 minute hour glass and allow the remaining minute to expire in the four minute hour glass. When that minute expires, tip them on their side to stop the flow.
8 minutes have expired.
There should be no flow remaining in the four minute hour glass, while one minute is now available in the 7 minute hour glass.
Reverse the 7 minute hour glass and you have reached 9 minutes.
BOOM BITCHES!
This post was edited on 3/6/14 at 4:04 pm
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:33 pm to MIZ_COU
I'll tell you after you try and answer one or two.
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:33 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
I got it right, right?
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:36 pm to mizzoukills
Yes you did, very nice.
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:37 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
I'll work on the other three soon... 
This post was edited on 3/6/14 at 3:41 pm
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:40 pm to mizzoukills
other 3...
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:40 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
The answer to 2 is once.
Turn on switch one for five minutes.
Then turn on switch two and enter.
If it's on, it's switch two.
If not, you feel the bulb. If it's hot, it's switch 1 and if it's cold it is switch three.
Problem solved.
Turn on switch one for five minutes.
Then turn on switch two and enter.
If it's on, it's switch two.
If not, you feel the bulb. If it's hot, it's switch 1 and if it's cold it is switch three.
Problem solved.
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:40 pm to Duke
Very nice, you forgot to say turn off switch one but you had it solved.
This post was edited on 3/6/14 at 3:41 pm
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:42 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
I always forget an important detail.
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:43 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
quote:
2)There are three switches outside a room. One of them controls a lightbulb that's inside the room, while the other two are not connected to anything. You can turn the switches 'on' or 'off' and also enter the room to see the lightbulb. What is the fewest number of times you will need to enter the room to determine which switch is connected to the bulb? (You can't see if the lightbulb is 'on' or 'off' from the outside. And all switches are in the 'off' position when you start.)
twice at most.
flip 2 switches. if the light isn't on, it's the one you didn't flip. if it is on, turn one off and walk back in the room. if it's on, you've found it. if not it's the last one you flipped off.
i call a bullsh answer on the heated bulb.
quote:
4)A student asks his professor: “What are the ages of your three children?” The professor replies: “If you multiply their ages you get 36, and if you add them you get my house number.” “I know your house number, but that’s not enough information!” says the student. To that the professor answered: “True. The oldest lives upstairs.” What are the ages of the three children?
i think it's 9, 2, and 2. i heard it differently where "the oldest plays the piano."
where a 2 year old can't play a piano, but i guess you could say that way too.
This post was edited on 3/6/14 at 3:44 pm
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:44 pm to 3nOut
quote:
i think it's 9, 2, and 2. i heard it differently where "the oldest plays the piano."
where a 2 year old can't play a piano, but i guess you could say that way too.
That is right, but do you know why? or are you just answering based on the other version you heard.
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:46 pm to 3nOut
quote:
i call a bullsh answer on the heated bulb.
It didn't say I couldn't touch the bulb. Resistor=heat=sciencemfer
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:47 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
since knowing the house number is not enough information there must be two sets of numbers whose product is 36 and have the same sum. Those two are 1,6,6 and 2,2,9. Knowing that there is only one eldest then implies it is 2,2,9
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:48 pm to Duke
That is definitely the fewest number of room entries as was asked, although not the most time effective
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:49 pm to MIZ_COU
quote:
since knowing the house number is not enough information there must be two sets of numbers whose product is 36 and have the same sum. Those two are 1,6,6 and 2,2,9. Knowing that there is only one eldest then implies it is 2,2,9
very nice.
The name of the movie was Fermat's Room I think. I saw it a few years ago. It may be subtitled.
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:49 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
and the movie is Fermat’s Room
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:49 pm to CheeseburgerEddie
Doesn't care.
Question answered.
Thug life.
Question answered.
Thug life.
Posted on 3/6/14 at 3:51 pm to MIZ_COU
I feel like you may have acted in the Melvin fashion which was described in the OP.
But without proof I must congratulate you on a correct answer.
But without proof I must congratulate you on a correct answer.
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