Brain Teasers

[sSsflamesSs]

Originally posted by anileve Solution to problem #2.

After trying to solve it (I've lost count as to how many times I've attempted it), I was coming to the conclusion that it couldn't be done. Now, I couldn't really put into words the explanation, but I sort of understood it (very helpful, isn't it). However, after I read what Inna wrote, that the line only has to touch each line, I came to the solution that I have attached.

Anileve, I share your frustration trying to solve it, but I think that if two lines are parallel (even if one is layered on top of the other), then they are not really intersecting in any way, and the problem clearly states that the lines have to intersect. So I don't think that the rules can be bent that way.

[ckBejug]

Originally posted by anileve
Another riddle
===============

All for one coin

You guys! How did the answer not pop out at you like 2.5 seconds after you finished reading? Maybe I'm wrong??


He bought a watermelon with the one coin. They eat the watermelon. Juicy watermelon = something to drink. The cow eats the rinds. They plant the seeds in the garden. Voila!

[sSsflamesSs]

Haha good one, ck. Sounds right.

Ok, here's another one.

Two college buddies run into each other years after graduation. They're thrilled to see each other, and naturally, start chatting away. The question of kids comes up, and [let's call him Aram] Aram asks Armen if he has any kids. Armen says, "yea, sure do, 3 of 'em." Aram asks, "how old?" and Armen says, "well, Aram, since I know that you love math and logic, I'll make it a little harder for you. The product of the ages is 36, and oh, the sum of the ages is the # on that bus that just passed us by." Aram thinks for a moment and says, "hmm, that's not enough information." So Armen says, "all right, the name of the oldest one is Hovannes." And that was enough information.

So, how old are the kids, and what was the # of the bus?

[sSsflamesSs]

And another one!

Count the number of men, wait until the picture changes, and then count again. Where did the dude go?

[sSsflamesSs]

Originally posted by anileve Another math problem...

The year 1927

Can you find values for p and q so that p^q - q^p = 1927? To make it perfectly clea, this is an example for the year 1844, where p=3, and q=7:

3^7 - 7^3 = 1844

Can you express 1927 in the same way?

Note: "^" is to the power of.

Highlight the next line to get the response.

p = 2, q = 11

[sSsflamesSs]

Originally posted by Seapahn You missed the little line in the middle on the left.

Anileve, these are REALLY cool. I think I know the answers for 1 and 2

I'm so pathetic - I can't let problem #2 go, hahaha.

By the way, welcome to the forum, Seapahn.

Well, since you claim that you know the answer to #2, I thought that I'd run this by you to see if it makes any sense. If the problem cannot be solved (without bending the rules, as I have done - see red line in attachment), would it have anything to do with the nodes (see circled blue parts in attachment)? OR AM I WAY OFF?

[Sip]

Originally posted by sSsflamesSs
By the way, welcome to the forum, Seapahn.

Well, since you claim that you know the answer to #2, I thought that I'd run this by you to see if it makes any sense. If the problem cannot be solved (without bending the rules, as I have done - see red line in attachment), would it have anything to do with the nodes (see circled blue parts in attachment)? OR AM I WAY OFF?

First of all, thanks for the welcome!

Secondly, it's interesting you'd bring up those nodes! I basically gave this problem on a test to 8 PhD students (as part of their qualifying exam for computer engineering) ... I just wanted to see how they would solve it. Someone told me this problem a long time ago but not the solution. I have a solution in mind which I think works very well. Well, 2 out of those 8 guys came up exactly with what I had in mind. But there was another that tried to do it using those nodes and just totally got lost and didn't make any sense. So what I am thinking is maybe there is something to it ... I just don't see it yet. Oh and let's not talk about how the others did

But as it should be clear right now, there is no way to draw the line that "intersects" each segment ... the "touching" is cheating ... so the question is really asking explain why such a line cannot be drawn

[sSsflamesSs]

Originally posted by Seapahn First of all, thanks for the welcome!

Secondly, it's interesting you'd bring up those nodes! I basically gave this problem on a test to 8 PhD students (as part of their qualifying exam for computer engineering) ... I just wanted to see how they would solve it. Someone told me this problem a long time ago but not the solution. I have a solution in mind which I think works very well. Well, 2 out of those 8 guys came up exactly with what I had in mind. But there was another that tried to do it using those nodes and just totally got lost and didn't make any sense. So what I am thinking is maybe there is something to it ... I just don't see it yet. Oh and let's not talk about how the others did

But as it should be clear right now, there is no way to draw the line that "intersects" each segment ... the "touching" is cheating ... so the question is really asking explain why such a line cannot be drawn

Yes, the "touching" IS cheating, as I said before (maybe not so clearly?). I am glad that at least I got part of it right - that there is no solution. I think I am getting a better understanding as to why - I just have to put it into words, which is a task in itself . Anyway, so please, stop killing us with the suspense and give us your version of the solution already!

I am feeling so nerdy right now.

[Sip]

Ok here's a hint for problem #2 (line drawing) ... highlight to see:

Think in terms of how many sides each region has. What happens with even and odd number of edges in terms of where your line starts and stops.

[sSsflamesSs]

There are 5 houses in 5 different colours. In each house lives a person of a different nationality. The 5 owners drink a certain type of beverage, smoke a certain brand of cigar, and keep a certain pet. Using the clues below can you determine who owns the fish?

The Brit lives in a red house.
The Swede keeps dogs as pets.
The Dane drinks tea.
The green house is on the immediate left of the white house.
The green house owner drinks coffee.
The person who smokes Pall Mall rears birds.
The owner of the yellow house smokes Dunhill.
The man living in the house right in the middle drinks milk.
The Norwegian lives in the first house.
The man who smokes Blend lives next door to the one who keeps cats.
The man who keeps horses lives next door to the man who smokes Dunhill.
The owner who smokes Blue Master drinks beer.
The German smokes Prince.
The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.
The man who smokes Blend has a neighbour who drinks water.

This one just takes patience - classic layout. I've done a similar one in Math class involving a box of chocolates and which one contains the dreaded coconut.

Hint: At one point, you come to a "fork in the road", meaning 2 possibilities. You have to guess as to which possibility is correct.