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Deep within the caves Bilbo Baggins and Smeagol (Gollum) matched their wits in solving riddles. For this week's Off Topic thread I propsoe we do the same. Seeing as how we solve, or at least attept to, other people's computer problems I thought it would be interesting to do the same.
Ready problem solvers?
What is the largest possible number you can write using only 2 digits - just 2 digits, nothing else?
The square of the radix minus one?
That's more than two digits
?
If the radix is 10, then 10x10-1 = 99 - the largest 2 digit decimal value
If the radix is 16, then 16x16-1 = FF - the largest 2 digit hexadecimal value
If the radix is 8, then 8x8-1 = 77 - the largest 2 digit octal value
etc.
My answer is correct for one interpretation of your question. You must be using a different interpretation. I withdraw my answer :)
So, let's see... "digits" meaning fingers and toes? "largest" meaning physical size? ...
Two different digits? Assuming base-10, it would 8 to the 9th power (which would be 134,217,728), or if they can be the same digit, 9 to the 9th, which is 387,420,489. Am I even close to what you were looking for?
9 to the 9th power exactly. this is 9x9x9x9x9x9x9x9x9 or 387,420,489
If Buddy is rich and Pete is best what does that make Richard?
worthless :D
Which? The thread or Richard? :D
The third? ;)Quote:
Originally posted by Calpitor
If Buddy is rich and Pete is best what does that make Richard?
LOL Doug.
Buddy is rich (Buddy Rich), Pete is best (Pete Best), so that makes Richard a drummer?Quote:
Originally posted by Calpitor
If Buddy is rich and Pete is best what does that make Richard?
Closer. That makes Richard a Starr. Ringo Starr to be exact.
Tom, Dick and Harry are lying dead on a floor surrounded by broken glass and water. How did they die?
I was right. Richard is worthless.
Water all over, probably drowned.
Train you're all wet. tee hee. ;)
Tom, Dick and Harry are goldfish, who suffocated. Little Johnny was playing cricket in the hallway again... :D
Good for you Tuttle.
Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the tallest mountain in the world?
The same mountain. It was just as tall, but nobody knew about it.Quote:
Originally posted by Calpitor
Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the tallest mountain in the world?
Hi all..
There was a riddle I read on VRDR a few years ago that I can no longer remember exactly... it had to do with three (four?) guys staying in a hotel and sharing the cost of the room. They paid the hotel mgr equally but when they got their change back the amount never quite added up correctly.. (figuring out why was the riddle). Does anyone remember the exact conundrum? :confused:
It drove me crazy for days trying to figure it out and then I guess something else pushed it out of my brain (probably suddenly remembering how to tie my shoelaces or a donut with lots of sprinkles or something :D )
An airplane crashes on the US\Canadian border. Where do you bury the survivors?
OK its lame but I'm running out of riddles I remember. :o
While you are all struggling with that last one here is another to be going on with:-
As we approach the end of yet another year,
In what year does Christmas Day and New Years Day fall in the same year?
Calpitor,
Burying a survivor would be disgraceful- unless his name was Tony Bliar (no typo) :D In which case I'll bring my own shovel.
Big Fred - Errr .... every year ??:D
Hope nobody mind me posting this - everyone's heard of Mensa ... but who here is cut out for Densa ?
http://www.pressanykey.com/cgi-bin/c.../pak/jquiz.cgi
Don't forget to post your scores - and have a good weekend :)
The hotel one goes like:
Three guys are staying in a hotel, and they pay $30 for the night, split evenly. The next morning the manager notices that they should have only paid $25, and sends someone upstairs with the $5 refund. That guy keeps $2 for himself, and splits the rest amongst the guests. That means the guests have paid $27 total for the room, and the staff member kept $2. Where did the other dollar go?
And while we're on hotels:
A man is staying on the 10th floor of a hotel. Every morning he gets in the lift and takes it to the ground floor. When he gets home from work, he takes the lift to the 6th floor and climbs the stairs the rest of the way. Why? (It's not because he needs the exercise.)
He's a midget and can only reach that high.Quote:
Originally posted by Tuttle
The hotel one goes like:
A man is staying on the 10th floor of a hotel. Every morning he gets in the lift and takes it to the ground floor. When he gets home from work, he takes the lift to the 6th floor and climbs the stairs the rest of the way. Why? (It's not because he needs the exercise.)
There is no other dollar. Five dollars were rebated and each guest got one dallar and the bellboy (?) kept two; amounting to five dollars. Where the confusion come from is that they split originally at $30 @ $10 each and the rebated afforementioned sums.Quote:
Originally posted by Tuttle
The hotel one goes like:
Three guys are staying in a hotel, and they pay $30 for the night, split evenly. The next morning the manager notices that they should have only paid $25, and sends someone upstairs with the $5 refund. That guy keeps $2 for himself, and splits the rest amongst the guests. That means the guests have paid $27 total for the room, and the staff member kept $2. Where did the other dollar go?
A man walks up to you and says ‘Everything I say to you is a lie’.
Is he telling the truth or is he lying?
Heres one for ya
This is an unusual paragraph. I'm curious how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so plain you would think nothing was wrong with it! In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is unusual though. Study it, and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out! Try to do so without any coaching!
Quote:
Originally posted by TJolly
A man walks up to you and says ‘Everything I say to you is a lie’.
Is he telling the truth or is he lying?
Hes lying
In a fundamentally paradoxical sort of way that would be difficult to answer :)
I know that when my mum as a child was on her way home from school she heard the great Plato and Socrates engaged in a display of rhetoric.
Plato announced 'Socrates is about to lie to you.'
Socrates replied' Plato has just spoken truthfully'.
:D
P3-450,
I'm just glad that you don't take 'E' when you post here :o
Correct.Quote:
Originally posted by P3-450
Hes lying
Ok try this and please give a reason for your answer.
You walk along a path of no return and you reach a never ending wall that you are unable to get over. In front of you are two doors. Standing in front of each door is a guard, both guards are identical in appearance. One of the doors leads to salvation and the other to damnation but you don't know which one. One of the guards always tells the truth and the other always tells a lie but you don't know who is truthful and who is the liar.
You have to pass through one of the doors.
You can only ask one question of one of the guards.
What question would you ask to ensure you passed through the door to salvation?
The vowel 'e' is not used.Quote:
Originally posted by P3-450
Heres one for ya
This is an unusual paragraph. I'm curious how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so plain you would think nothing was wrong with it! In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is unusual though. Study it, and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out! Try to do so without any coaching!
Quote:
Originally posted by TJolly
Correct.
Ok try this and please give a reason for your answer.
You walk along a path of no return and you reach a never ending wall that you are unable to get over. In front of you are two doors. Standing in front of each door is a guard, both guards are identical in appearance. One of the doors leads to salvation and the other to damnation but you don't know which one. One of the guards always tells the truth and the other always tells a lie but you don't know who is truthful and who is the liar.
You have to pass through one of the doors.
You can only ask one question of one of the guards.
What question would you ask to ensure you passed through the door to salvation?
is the question,
Is this the door to salvation?
EDIT:actually forget that one i need to think about it again:o
I was on a job interview once and the interviewer wanted to test my problem solving abilities by giving me a few brain teasers. Some I figured out, others I didn't. When the interview was over, though, I figured "Fair's fair", so I gave him one to ponder. He called me 3 days later to not only offer me the job, but to demand the answer to the puzzle. Here it is:
There are 10 jars in front of you filled with what appear to be identical marbles. You are told that all of marbles in 9 of the jars weigh 2 grams each, but that the marbles in 1 of the jars weigh just 1 gram each. Using a digital scale (not a balance-type scale), make just one measurement to determine which jar contains the lighter marbles.
You find yourself in a 3 way shootout with two other evil dudes called Alice and Bart. As a shooter you're not much chop - you only hit the target 1/3 of the time.
Bart is pretty good, he hits the target 2/3 of the time. Alice is very good. She shoots with 98% accuracy.
Because you're such an average shot, they agree to let you go first. Bart will shoot second, if he's still alive and then Alice will shoot, if she's still alive. Then it will be your turn to shoot again, followed by Bart then Alice, and so on until only one person is left alive.
It's your first shot... what do you do?
There are 10 jars in front of you filled with what appear to be identical marbles. You are told that all of marbles in 9 of the jars weigh 2 grams each, but that the marbles in 1 of the jars weigh just 1 gram each. Using a digital scale (not a balance-type scale), make just one measurement to determine which jar contains the lighter marbles. [/B][/QUOTE]
I've heard this before in my distant past but I can't remember the exact calculation.
What I do remember is numbering the jars from 1-10 and taking 1 from jar 1, 2 from jar 2, 3 from jar 3, 4 from jar 4 and so on. Weighing all of the jars (and that's when my mind goes blank). Am I on the right track or am I miles away?
Is the answer to unusual paragraph correct?Quote:
Originally posted by P3-450
is the question,
Is this the door to salvation?
EDIT:actually forget that one i need to think about it again:o
Sorry Tjolly, forgot to put that in:)
Yes that was correct, well done:)
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.
ceehiro
:)
Shoot and deliberately miss so that Bart shoots and hopefully kills Alice because she is the greater threat to him. I then have a better chance to kill him because it will be my turn again.Quote:
Originally posted by KMIELKE123
You find yourself in a 3 way shootout with two other evil dudes called Alice and Bart. As a shooter you're not much chop - you only hit the target 1/3 of the time.
Bart is pretty good, he hits the target 2/3 of the time. Alice is very good. She shoots with 98% accuracy.
Because you're such an average shot, they agree to let you go first. Bart will shoot second, if he's still alive and then Alice will shoot, if she's still alive. Then it will be your turn to shoot again, followed by Bart then Alice, and so on until only one person is left alive.
It's your first shot... what do you do?
TJolly,
Grrrrrrrr :mad:
:)
Have a good weekend.
Richard.