34
   

The worlds first riddle!

 
 
Relative
 
  1  
Reply Tue 23 Mar, 2004 01:23 pm
Alien communication:

It's interesting and I read about it a while ago; the only problem seemed to be the 'mirror symmetry'. it was still unknown at the time whether it is possible to describe the right-hand rule, or is physics totally symmetric left-right.
I believe a bit later an experiment was found (a decay of some particle) that produces asymmetry so it is possible to say what is left.

So I believe it is possible today to 'encode' the whole physics and biology needed to describe our world in some detail.
0 Replies
 
Adrian
 
  1  
Reply Tue 23 Mar, 2004 04:18 pm
Quote:
I believe a bit later an experiment was found (a decay of some particle) that produces asymmetry so it is possible to say what is left.


Anti-matter works the opposite way though. You could get everything perfect but if they exist in an anti-matter universe it would all be back to front.

Quote:
If I am spoken of as the first,
My peers are mostly greater than I.
Yet when I'm further down the order,
An excess of me means you could die.
Although I may rise and I may fall,
I have but one more claim to fame:
I am with the merchants all the time.
So I ask you now, what is my name


Mad as a hgatter!

Quote:
I am sure you Brits can bounce back from such an unfair result.


Grrr... Don't call me a brit' you sepo'. Twisted Evil
0 Replies
 
Tryagain
 
  1  
Reply Tue 23 Mar, 2004 06:17 pm
Adrian, "... Don't call me a brit' you sepo"

The SEPO (Serial Position) Test for Discerning the Possession of Special or Guilty Information

General History of the Study of Verbal Learning
It is the intent of this rather brief description of the SEPO (for serial position) methodology to communicate the very basic ideas and knowledge that support this new psychological assessment instrumentation as well as some inkling of the research findings that are highly supportive. Dr. Stone began to develop some initial insight that later led to more specific formulations back in the 1970s. He wishes here to formally acknowledge the great help that was received from many of his colleagues, and especially from Dr. John Carman, in the form of comments, new insights, and other matters that were the subject of frequent discussions.
First of all, let it be understood what is the purpose of the SEPO test methodology. It was developed for the purpose of detection of possession of special knowledge; more particularly, the possible detection of possession of guilty knowledge. When employed in this latter fashion, the SEPO test then functions in a fashion that justifies it being considered as a form of ?'lie detector.'
The SEPO test is unusually well-grounded in experimental psychology, especially in the field of human learning, mainly that focused upon verbal learning. The original-foundational research upon which the SEPO test rests can very easily be directly traced back to the research conducted by Ebbinghaus, which he described in a historic monograph in 1885, i.e., his experimental study of memory. Ebbinghaus developed a number of methods for the experimental study of memory and retention. His lead was quite quickly followed by psychologists all over the world who improved upon his methods and added new ones. If there is one area of psychological investigation and concern that would seem to be the exclusive prerogative area of interest to psychology, it is the study of learning.
The phenomenon of learning (in animals and humans) has been one of the most major focused concerns of experimental and applied psychology, right up to the present time. "The study of learning" has been referred to by many for well over a hundred years as being the most important foundational aspect of the entire field of psychology.

You passed part 0ne with flying colors. Please accept my humble apologies for my mistyping. What I actually intended to refer to, was the recent World Cup rugby result, by the Brits. Very Happy

"Mad as a hgatter!"

Now, in fear of causing another ?'Simpson' incident in international relations, may I say, "Yes, I may well be" but, I fear the answer lies someway off. :wink:

"Anti-matter works the opposite way though. You could get everything perfect but if they exist in an anti-matter universe it would all be back to front."

In this case, I may well agree with you. Cool However, what is the answer to this Question

DONALD
GERALD
_________
ROBERT

It works as a basic addition, each letter corresponds to an individual number. Each digit from 0 to 9 is represented. D=5
0 Replies
 
Adrian
 
  1  
Reply Tue 23 Mar, 2004 06:35 pm
Quote:
"Mad as a hgatter!"

Now, in fear of causing another ?'Simpson' incident in international relations, may I say, "Yes, I may well be" but, I fear the answer lies someway off.


Not that far off.

Jeesh, I even dropped the symbol in there. Laughing
0 Replies
 
Adrian
 
  1  
Reply Tue 23 Mar, 2004 06:59 pm
Oh yeah. PM'd the answer for Donald + Gerald.
0 Replies
 
Tryagain
 
  1  
Reply Wed 24 Mar, 2004 10:33 am
Adrian 5 - Try 0 Embarrassed

"Jeesh, I even dropped the symbol in there."

So, you did, and I thought it was a typo. However, as you may have noticed, I did hedge my bets knowing your accuracy in such matters. :wink:

Before I look at my mail box, let me say that Donald/Gerald is almost impossible to solve. If you have succeeded, I will replace my picture of Captain Cook with yours. Cool
0 Replies
 
Tryagain
 
  1  
Reply Wed 24 Mar, 2004 12:50 pm
Oh, my God. Adrian has the right answer. Genius, or lucky guess?

Why, oh why did I not read the PM before making the promise to replace the captain of the Beagle?

Is there anyone else out there who can come up with the correct answer, before the crown passes to him, and I have to find a picture framer?

While waiting can, anyone assist, as my memory is not as good as it never was.

Many years ago I was driving from Wagga Wagga to Wollongong when gasoline was only 46 cents a gallon, I stopped to fill up my car. I gave the attendant a $20.00 bill and waited for my change. Unexpectedly, he charged me for the number of gallons that the car needed instead of the dollar amount.

(For example if the car took 8.4 gallons he would have charged me $8.40.)

Because he did this, I received less in change than I should have. The funny thing is that I had received in change exactly the amount that I should have been charged for the gas in the first place. Remembering that the cash indicator on a gas pump will only charge to the nearest half-cent, how many gallons of gas did I buy that day Question
0 Replies
 
Relative
 
  1  
Reply Wed 24 Mar, 2004 12:55 pm
Donald seemed too easy at first glance .. but when I finally
decided to solve it, I was pleasantly surprised - it was quite hard.

Were it not for Try's and Adrian's encouragement, I couldn't have done it!

DONALD
GERALD
---------
ROBERT

I will write carry as Cx, where x is the operation generating the carry.
D+D generates C1. Note that Cx is either 1 or 0.

First we see that since D=5, T=0.
Next clue lies in O+E +C4 = O + C5*10.

This can only be if E=9 and C4=1.
Further clue comes from the fact that R is odd; L+L is even and C1=1, so L+L+1 is odd. Also C5=1, and D+G+C5 is odd, G is odd too. If G was 3, R was 9 but that is taken. G cannot be more than 3, so it is 1. So R is 7.
From R we have L=8, and A=4. Finally we have 2 and 6 left for O and N, respectively.

Great puzzle!

526485
+197485
=723970
0 Replies
 
Adrian
 
  1  
Reply Wed 24 Mar, 2004 03:48 pm
PM'd answer for gas question.

Whenever you're in Wagga Wagga there's an important rule to remember.

Don't Call Wagga Wagga Wagga

© Greg Champion/Jim Haynes
(Warner/Chappel Music Australia)

This version first released on the album Stand Back Australia

Now once I met Ted Egan legend bushman that he is
a lotta folks they know their Outback well, and Ted he sure knows his
he knows those towns with funny names, the ones that make you laugh
and when it comes to the double names, he says "ya don't do things by
half", and

Chorus 1
Ya don't call Kurri Kurri Kurri
and ya don't call Gin Gin Gin
ya don't call Mooney Mooney Mooney
and ya don't call Kin Kin Kin
ya never call Pindi Pindi Pindi
and ya don't call Grong Grong Grong
and ya don't call Wagga Wagga Wagga no sir
callin' Wagga Wagga Wagga is wrong

It's Lang Lang and it's Ki Ki Wangi Wangi and Woy Woy
and if ya call Tumbi Umbi Tumbi, well that proves your a silly boy
Cocklebiddy isn't Cockle, Duckinwilla isn't Duck
Burpengary isn't Burpen, Muckadilla isn't Muck
Uranquinty isn't Uran, and Petrie isn't Pee
you'd look pretty silly callin' Liili Pilli Lilli and Wee Waa isn't Wee,
and

Chorus 2
Ya don't call Walla Walla Walla
and ya don't call Curl Curl Curl
ya don't call Mitta Mitta Mitta
and ya don't call Wool Wool Wool
ya never call Pura Pura Pura
and ya don't call Bong Bong Bong
and ya don't call Wagga Wagga Wagga no sir
callin' Wagga Wagga Wagga is wrong

It's Terrigal not Terry, and Stanthorpe isn't Stan
Peterborough isn't Peter, Dandaragan isn't Dan
Kenebri's not Kenny, Jackadgery isn't Jack
never ever call Jimboomba Jim and Macksville isn't Mack
so now you'll all remember Ted Egan's good advice
some words are so fair dinkum that you have to use 'em twice, and

REPEAT CHORUS 1
0 Replies
 
Tryagain
 
  1  
Reply Wed 24 Mar, 2004 04:02 pm
Stop the clock. We have a tie. Math forum, eat your heart out, the forward thinkers reside in Riddles. Nice formula Relative. Cool

Step 1 If D= 5, then T = 0
Step 2 If o + e = o, then e =9
Step 3 If L + L + 1 = R, then R must be an odd number because two of the same numbers added together give an even number
Step 4 We know R is odd and greater than 5 because 5 + G = R. We know E = 9 so R must be 7 because it's the only odd number greater than 5 between 6 and 8.
Step 5 G must be 1 because 5 + 1 + G = 7 and G can't be 0.
Step 6 L + L + 1 (carried over) = R.R is seven so L is either 3 or 8. we know A + A = E. E = 9 so A = 4 so there has to be a one carried over. Therefore L must be 8.
Step 7 N + 7 = B, the only numbers left are 2, 3, and 6. So n must be six and B is 3.
Step 8 O must be 2 because it's the only one left.

526485
197485
______
723970

Quote Relative, "I was pleasantly surprised - it was quite hard."

For my part, I am surprised if I find it easy. Very Happy
0 Replies
 
Tryagain
 
  1  
Reply Thu 25 Mar, 2004 02:50 pm
Fun for all the family. Twisted Evil

A mother and father have six sons and each son has one sister. How many people are in that family Question

A baseball team had just won the championship game and the players wanted to congratulate each other. They began shaking hands, but each player only shook hands with every other player just once. There are, of course, only nine players on a baseball team. How many times did the players shake hands Question

Find a simple method of solving:
6751X + 3249Y = 26751
3249X + 6751Y = 23249

Students at Mile High with a class size under of 30 took a math test. One third of the class got a "B", one quarter a "B-", one-sixth a "C", and one eighth failed. The remainder of the students got an "A" How many students got an "A". Question
0 Replies
 
Adrian
 
  1  
Reply Thu 25 Mar, 2004 04:50 pm
PM'd Razz
0 Replies
 
Tryagain
 
  1  
Reply Thu 25 Mar, 2004 05:40 pm
Owing to a slight technical problem, in so far as Adrian by a combination of ?'luck', ?'guess work' and ?'good fortune' not to mention sheer genius has managed to answer correctly all four questions. Cool
The gloves are now coming off. Twisted Evil

The following multiplication example uses every digit from 0 to 9 at least once. Letters have been substituted for the digits. Can you replace the letters and make the original multiplication problem Question
...........................B O G
....................x......B O G
..........................._____

..........................L Y L E
......................G G U L
...................T U O O
...................__________
...................U N I T O E

A clue will follow (when hell freezes over) should it not be solved. Ha! Ha!
0 Replies
 
Adrian
 
  1  
Reply Thu 25 Mar, 2004 10:12 pm
That's a bloody hard one Try'!

Did you make it up?
0 Replies
 
Adrian
 
  1  
Reply Thu 25 Mar, 2004 11:04 pm
Hah! Got it!

PM'd
0 Replies
 
Relative
 
  1  
Reply Fri 26 Mar, 2004 06:32 am
I must admit that the last page of these riddles is an excellent, albeit mostly math, collection.

I worked through the BOG puzzle with a little guessing .. although I am convinced there is a better method.
0 Replies
 
Tryagain
 
  1  
Reply Fri 26 Mar, 2004 03:35 pm
I apologise in advance for my somewhat late reply, due in part to the savage ?'beating' I sustained at the hands of Adrian and Relative. Both of whom refuse to submit a wrong answer, despite my pleas for mercy. However, to all those of you who sent PM's with the incorrect answers. Thank you. You have restored my faith in human nature. :wink:

In reply to that ?'catchy' little tune, Wagga Wagga.

Wagga is the local Wiradjuri aboriginal word for crow and to create the plural, the Wiradjuri repeat the word. Thus, Wagga Wagga translates as 'the place of many crows'.

Ted Egan, an old bushy who lives in Alice Springs in the Centre of Australia. Since he left his Melbourne birthplace at age 16, he has been fascinated by Australian history, its unique people and the Australian way of life, in this, perhaps the most multi-cultural nation on Earth.

It was Ted Egan who introduced Rolf Harris to the song Two Little Boys. Reason enough to send a note of thanks.

Ted Egan
PO Box 1694
Alice Springs
NT 0871
Australia

Nuff said. Drunk


Professor Mumble buys a lottery ticket, which requires that he pick six different integers from 1 through 46, inclusive. He chooses his numbers such that the sum of the base-ten logarithms of his six numbers is an integer. It so happens that the integers on the lottery ticket have the same property- the sum of the base-ten logarithms is an integer. What is the probability that Prof. Gamble holds the winning ticket Question

Puzzle:
There are five buildings in a row, next to the zoo

Each person is in a different building type, has a different vehicle, a different name, and a different favourite movie.
Here are the clues.

1. Wilamina rides her Norco Touring Bike past the Condo to go to the Zoo.

2. There is a beautiful Mercury Sable parked inside the gates of the Estate.

3. The owner of the Estate claims that the apartment and condominiums on either side are reducing the estate's property value.

4. Xerxes neighbour is always revving up his Kawasaki (which really annoys him)

5. Uri and the Lada owner are always admiring the gardening efforts of their neighbour.

6. The Apartment Owner loves watching Total Recall.

7. The video tape for the Red Violin is often seen in the back seat of the Opel.

8. The figure skater lives next to the ice fisher.

9. Vern's favourite movie is Pig in the City.

10. Quigley Down Under is often played in the Bungalow.

11. The jogger is glad he does not live next to the Strange Brew fan, since he hates that movie.

12. Yanna does not like Strange Brew Either.

13. Xerxes lives next to the Zoo, which is handy, since he works there.

Who is the Hapkido Instructor Question


Logic:
Q knows the quotient of two distinct whole numbers (Larger divided by the smaller). D knows the positive difference. Both know the number is between 2 and 20, inclusive. The following conversation takes place:

Q: I don't know what the two numbers are.
D: I know what the two numbers are.

What are the two numbers Question

A good weekend to all. Very Happy
0 Replies
 
Tryagain
 
  1  
Reply Mon 29 Mar, 2004 02:52 pm
Answers to previous questions.

Two fathers and two sons went fishing. Each caught exactly one fish and yet there were only three fish caught. Why?

Each caught a fish and yet only three fish were caught. Hence, there were only three people. How could that be? It must be that one of the three people fulfils a dual role of being both a father and a son. Therefore, it must have been a grandfather, a father and his son who went fishing.

Brown, Jones and Smith are a doctor, a lawyer, and a teacher. The teacher, who is an only child, earns the least money. Smith, who married Brown's sister, earns more than the lawyer. What is each man's job?
Smith earns more than the lawyer and more than the teacher (who earns the least).
Thefore, Smith must be the doctor. Brown has a sister but the teacher has none, so Brown must be the lawyer. That means Jones must be the teacher.

People in family.- 9

Basketball.
The first player only shakes hands with 8 other players, the second player only shakes hands with 7 other players ( he already shook hands with the first player!), the third player only shakes hands with 6 players ( he already shook hands with the first player and second player ), and so on, until the last player who only has one possibility left. Therefore: 8+7+6+5+4+3+2+1=36

Find a simple method of solving:
6751X + 3249Y = 26751
3249X + 6751Y = 23249

One answer
Add the equation to give: 10000X + 10000Y = 50000
Divide by 10000 to give: X + Y = 5
Subtract to give: 3502X - 3502Y = 3502
Divide by 3502 to give: X - Y = 1
Therefore: X = 3 and Y = 2

How many students got an "A"?
First find the common denominator for the numbers 3, 4, 6, and 8. The only common denominator less than 30 is 24. Therefore, the students with a "B" = 8, "B-" = 6, "C" =4, failed = 3. This represents 21 of the students; so the 3 remaining students received an "A".

Professor Mumble. ¼

Who is the Hapkido Instructor? - Xerxes

What are the two numbers?
20/4

How many gallons of gas did I buy that day?
13.7 gallons at 46 cents = $6.30 ( to the nearest 1/2 cent.) Therefore, my change from the $20.00 was $6.30 as I had been charged $13.70.


B O G
. 8 4 3
x 8 4 3

2 5 2 9
3 3 7 2
6 7 4 4

7 1 0 6 4 9

Last, but not least.
a) Could you theoretically describe your world well enough for you to survive on their world?
b) Well enough, that you could not tell the difference?

Possible answer.
Since the aliens understand the same physics, mathematics, and chemistry as we do, we can use these to create a basic model of our world and build up from there. We can define our basic units of measurement- meter, second, kilogram, etc., using the fundamental properties of nature. For example, the second is based on the radioactive properties of the chemical cesium-133. In addition, the meter is defined by the speed of light and the second.

"Qualitative" properties such as color, smell, etc., also derive from chemical properties. We could describe a certain shade of red purely in terms of its wavelength, or by its chemical properties. Smell again is purely a factor of the differing proportions of many different molecules in the air.

I could describe the can of coke on my desk in nearly enough detail that they could reproduce it flawlessly: create a cylindrical shell of such-and-such aluminium compound of .1mm thickness. Fill it with 99.1% water, .2% sugar, etc. (again taking time to define what aluminium, water, and sugar are by their chemical components). Coat the aluminium shell with the following dyes, at these coordinates... In this manner, we could even get them to paint on the "Coca-Cola" logo and other designs.

Now you may nod and say, yes, it seems that you can describe any such object with this precision. Therefore, the alien could create a world virtually indistinguishable for ours.

But not so. There is a fundamental property that we take for granted that is not so simple to communicate to the alien. That is the property we know of left vs. right. To illustrate, look into a mirror. Imagine a world that looked exactly like the one in the mirror. How could make sure the alien was building your world, not the looking-glass world?

To describe your world you must have defined a coordinate system, one with x,y, and z axis, all perpendicular to each other. However, even if the alien followed your instructions perfectly, he could still do so and end up with a different orientation, so that everything he did was reversed.

Some curious properties would emerge in the world he created, but only relative to yours. The Coke can's writing would be reversed, but the alien would not know. You might have said "make sure the 'o' is to the right of the 'C'". Moreover, the alien dutifully checked this, but if he used the reversed coordinate system, his left would be synonymous with your right.

Not only that, but even the molecules would have reversed symmetry. While water would behave the same, your body would be unable to digest the sugar with "left-handedness"-- all your cells are designed to break down right-handed sugar.

Is there no property of nature that would let you discriminate left and right before you arrived in the alien's world?

In fact, some subatomic properties have an inherent left/right orientation. One example is Beta decay. Richard Feynman describes how to define left/right using this phenomenon:

"Listen, build yourself a magnet, and put the coils in, and put the current on, and then take some cobalt and lower the temperature. Arrange the experiment so the electrons go from the foot to the head, then the direction in which the current goes through the coils is the direction that goes in what we call the right and comes out on the left."

"So, great you think," that saves me from going to a world where I will starve to death, and will not be able to read without a mirror. Kind of weird that it all hinges on such a non-obvious property."

But there's more. All the natural laws that exhibit this favouritism towards a particular left/right orientation are reversed for the case of their antiparticle. If you are not familiar with antimatter, antimatter is like "looking-glass matter". An anti-electron (more commonly called a "positron") has the same mass and physical properties as a regular electron, but with a positive charge. And an anti-proton is just like a regular proton but with a negative charge. Therefore, a positron will orbit a nucleus with an anti-neutron and an anti-proton just like an electron would orbit a regular nucleus. In this way, if the alien lived in an antimatter Universe, he would have built the mirror image of your world and would not have noticed the reversal of left/right symmetry, because antimatter reverses all the natural laws, which exhibit that property.

Now if he did, you have a bigger problem to worry about than not being able to drink the soda. Anti-matter and matter are not compatible at a more fundamental level. When they meet, they cancel each other out and convert their total mass into energy via a process aptly termed "annihilation". A anti-Coke can weighing a little more than 12 ounces would react with 12 ounces of normal matter to produce explosion equivalent to thermonuclear bomb.

As Feynman puts it:

"... What would happen when, after much conversation back and forth, we each have taught the other to make space ships and we meet halfway in empty space? We have instructed each other on our traditions, and so forth, and the two of us come rushing out to shake hands. Well, if he puts out his left hand, watch out!"


Four riddles, you have two words on either side of a set of dashes. Each dash represents a letter of the word, & the word on the left is a synonym of the word. The word on the right is a synonym of the word if one of the word's letters are removed. Determine what the two words are for each puzzle Question


EXAMPLE: break ---- sleep

The answers would be SNAP & NAP.


Q1. frustrate ---- lubricate

Q2. call ----- sharpen

Q3. twist ---- vase

Q4. fragment ----- firm
0 Replies
 
Adrian
 
  1  
Reply Wed 31 Mar, 2004 05:22 pm
Q1. Foil, Oil.

Q2. Phone, Hone.

Q3. Turn, Urn.

Q4. Shard, Hard.
0 Replies
 
Iacomus
 
  1  
Reply Thu 1 Apr, 2004 01:17 am
With all due respect to Feynman I'm not sure that the conclusion arrived at about the 'negative matter' is a valid one.

The direction of the rotation of a DC electric motor is governed by the direction of the magnetic field and the direction of the current through the coils.

If the direction of the magnetic field OR the direction of the current is reversed the direction of rotation will be reversed.

It therefore follows that reversing BOTH leaves the direction of rotation unchanged.

To illustrate: suppose that we observe a rotating object from a point on its axis which we will call its North Pole and see that it is rotating clockwise. If we reverse either the direction of rotation OR observe it from its 'South Pole' we will see the rotation as anticlockwise. If we do both it will still be seen as clockwise.

Or, to put it in riddle terms; if the guy who knows which road you want does not speak your language so you have to use an interpreter to ask for you, it makes no difference to the answer you receive if both informant and interpreter lie or both tell the truth.

And if we can define 'clockwise' we can from that define 'right' and 'left'. (This is not to say that I agree we could then fully describe our world to the aliens. To fully describe would, I think, necessarily imply 'fully understand' and we certainly do not fully understand our world)

In passing: I also have doubts if any of the three 'paradoxes' - Immoveable object; I always tell lies; is the answer "no"? - is in fact truly paradoxical. The first is nonsense dressed up as being meaningful, the second is - as Adrian pointed out - merely a lie, and the third uses the word "no" in two different ways.

A 'transparent' parallel with the third can be: if I take some red paint and write the word 'green' on a wall then the apparently contradictory descriptions 'That word is green and not any other color' and 'that word is red and not any other color' are both true at the same time. The reason they are not contradictory is that one usage of 'the word' concerns the word as 'a thing in itself' and the other concerns the word as a referent (i.e. according to its meaning and usage) which are not the same. The 'apparent paradox' does the same with "no"

So, to simplify, the answer to the question, "Is "no" the answer to this question?" becomes "Not in inverted commas it isn't!" (Or, if such is preferable, in the question it is a noun and in the answer it could only be an adverb) Most if not all 'Metalinguistic' (i.e. language being used to talk about language) paradoxes contain a similar fallacy.
0 Replies
 
 

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