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-   -   How about some MORE lateral thinking puzzles! (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=501224)

  • Sep 9, 2010, 07:40 AM
    Unknown008

    Is there actually a solution to this?

    Sunday will be my final word then.

    I don't see anything else. Wednesday was a mistake I did. I didn't really mean it at first and forgot Saturday >.<
  • Sep 9, 2010, 07:41 AM
    jmjoseph
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Unknown008 View Post
    Is there actually a solution to this?

    Sunday will be my final word then.

    I don't see anything else. Wednesday was a mistake I did. I didn't really mean it at first and forgot Saturday >.<

    The answer is indeed Sunday.
  • Sep 9, 2010, 07:48 AM
    jmjoseph

    I've got dozens. Here's another one:

    The leaky pipe.

    A pipe sprung a leak on its underside so that it leaked 5 gallons of water per hour until the pipe was empty 4 hours later. The leak was not detected and the pipe was refilled but a second leak, of exactly the same size, occurred immediately. The pipe was now leaking at a rate of 10 gallons of water per hour but this time it took 3 hours to empty. Can you explain why?
  • Sep 9, 2010, 07:56 AM
    Unknown008

    The pipe was not full at first, and had 10 gallons of water less than its full capacity?

    Maybe the second leak occurred further up the pipe, meaning that some way, the leak was above the surface of the water in the pipe?
  • Sep 9, 2010, 08:03 AM
    jmjoseph
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Unknown008 View Post
    The pipe was not full at first, and had 10 gallons of water less than its full capacity?

    Maybe the second leak occured further up the pipe, meaning that some way, the leak was above the surface of the water in the pipe?

    The pipe was at full capacity again.

    You're getting close with the second leak's location.
  • Sep 9, 2010, 08:12 AM
    Unknown008
    Well, if you want math in this, the second leak was halfway up from the first leak to the top of the pipe.

    Unless we are taking a real example, where the rate of flow of water will depend on the height of the water surface above the leak.
  • Sep 9, 2010, 08:17 AM
    jmjoseph
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Unknown008 View Post
    Well, if you want math in this, the second leak was halfway up from the first leak to the top of the pipe.

    Unless we are taking a real example, where the rate of flow of water will depend on the height of the water surface above the leak.

    Yes, the second leak was halfway up the pipe... so...
  • Sep 9, 2010, 08:20 AM
    Unknown008
    So, for the first hour, 10 gallons went away.

    Then, the rate becomes 5 gal/hr

    Since there are 10 gals remaining, it takes additional 2 hours for a total of 3 hours.
  • Sep 9, 2010, 08:28 AM
    jmjoseph
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Unknown008 View Post
    So, for the first hour, 10 gallons went away.

    Then, the rate becomes 5 gal/hr

    Since there are 10 gals remaining, it takes additional 2 hours for a total of 3 hours.

    You've got it! Good job, Jerry.
  • Sep 9, 2010, 08:36 AM
    jmjoseph

    My homework is right!

    At a local school a teacher gave the children a few math problems for homework. The next day the teacher pulled Tom out and told him that he had all of his wrong.

    His answers to the problems set were:

    10+7=5

    9+6=3

    11+5=4

    8+11=7

    Tom was also right. How was this so?
  • Sep 9, 2010, 08:47 AM
    Just Looking

    It looks like time on a clock. For example, 10:00 plus 7 hours would be 5:00.
  • Sep 9, 2010, 08:58 AM
    jmjoseph
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Just Looking View Post
    It looks like time on a clock. For example, 10:00 plus 7 hours would be 5:00.

    That's it! Good job.
  • Sep 9, 2010, 09:00 AM
    Just Looking
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jmjoseph View Post
    That's it! Good job.


    Thanks. :) As Adam would say, can we have another one?
  • Sep 9, 2010, 09:15 AM
    jmjoseph

    The Fire

    The couple had just finished building their home and because the night would be very cold, they wanted to build a fire to keep warm. The wind outside was gusting at 40mph and they were soon very cozy and fell asleep. A few hours later they were both dead. What had gone wrong?

    CLUES:
    1. The home had not burned down.
    2. The house had not blown down.
    3. They had not suffocated.
    4. They had not been burned to death.
  • Sep 9, 2010, 09:19 AM
    Just Looking
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jmjoseph View Post
    The Fire

    The couple had just finished building their home and because the night would be very cold, they wanted to build a fire to keep warm. The wind outside was gusting at 40mph and they were soon very cozy and fell asleep. A few hours later they were both dead. What had gone wrong?

    CLUES:
    1. The home had not burned down.
    2. The house had not blown down.
    3. They had not suffocated.
    4. They had not been burned to death.

    Is this a lateral thinking puzzle where we have to ask yes or no questions?
  • Sep 9, 2010, 09:20 AM
    Unknown008
    The fire switched off and they froze to death

    ... as opposed to being burned to death?
  • Sep 9, 2010, 09:24 AM
    jmjoseph
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Just Looking View Post
    Is this a lateral thinking puzzle where we have to ask yes or no questions?

    Yes, these are from the Mensa book "Lateral Thinking & Logical Deduction". Ask all the questions that you like.

    No Jerry, the fire did NOT go out.
  • Sep 9, 2010, 09:27 AM
    Just Looking


    Did they die of natural causes?

    Were they murdered?

    Did the fire somehow lead to their death?

    Is it relevant that the house is newly built?

    Were they old?
  • Sep 9, 2010, 09:29 AM
    Unknown008
    Was the house made of wood?
    Did the house has wooden supports?
    Could the fire have burned these supports and the house crumbled down?

    Did they get killed by someone?
  • Sep 9, 2010, 09:55 AM
    jmjoseph
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Just Looking View Post
    Did they die of natural causes?

    Were they murdered?

    Did the fire somehow lead to their death?

    Is it relevant that the house is newly built?

    Were they old?

    The fire did somehow lead to their death. The rest are "No" answers.

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