Capt Ayhab

3-roll dice answer

Jaleho's answer is the correct one. ID, the dice roll is similar to the coin toss only in that the probability of getting any of the numbers between 1 & 6 in each roll is always 1/6, but that doesn't mean that the average amount you expect to earn after each role is the average of these 6 numbers, namely $3.5, b/c after the 1st or 2nd rolls you always have the option of more rolls & possible high numbers. You could be a gambler, but a very conservative one.

Deal or no deal solution

Here is what I think the solution is.

First time, stop if you roll 5 or 6. Otherwise, roll for the second time. If the second roll is at least 4 stop, if it is 3 or less, roll for the third time.

 To calculate the expected gain, first look at it if you continue to the second roll, then you have 1/2*(4+5+6)/3+1/2*3.5=4.25. Since you go on to this with probability 2/3, the answer is 1/3*(5+6)/2+2/3*4.25 = 4.666. So I would pay anything less than that to enter the game.

 Thanks Maghshoosh!

getting late for my movie, captain jon, don't shout your answer loud until I'm back too. Manam bazi!

captain

Assuming the three are all men, I will ask one question from all three of them:

"If I asked you if you were a man, would you say no?"

the truth teller will say "no"

the one left will be the random guy because the liar's head will explode  :0)

IRANdokht

PS: the random guy may say no too, but at least we'd get rid of the liar!

roll the dice maghshoosh

this is like the shir-ya-khat game. It doesn't matter how many times you play, chances of you getting shir or khat is always 50% regardless of your previous rounds.

so to enter the dice game the only safe bet is to bet a dollar, no matter what you roll, in the worst scenario, you'd break even.

if you want to go on and play, I suggest you take your chances again if you roll a 1, 2 or 3. Chances of rolling something higher is always better than 50%

If you roll 4 or better, keep your money:

I guess you can tell that am not a gambler. 

IRANdokht

One for the road

The Liar, The Truth Teller and The Random Answerer

There is a truth teller (always tells the truth), a liar (always lies), and one that sometimes answers truthfully and sometimes lies. Each man knows who is who.

You may ask three yes or no question to determine who
is who. Each time you ask a question, it must only be directed to one of the men (of your choice). You may ask the same question more than once, but of course it will count towards your total.

What are your questions and to whom will you ask them?

-YT

Captain, I just saw it!

Oh, Great, I have been enjoying myself not doing my work, and so it pays:)

Deal or No Deal; job or no job

This blog is rolling off the front page and Majid has gone underground planning sabotage for undermining his hijacking. But if you like to test your gambling intuition, you can try this probability puzzle which was posed during a phone interview to my friend seeking a job. It's a very-mini version of the Deal-Or-No-Deal game show. The required math is very basic: as you recall, a simple average of a bunch of numbers is their sum divided by the number of these numbers. You can use a calculator for the arithmetic. The point is to correctly identify the probabilities of various outcomes and then take averages.

If you were to roll a typical dice w/ faces numbered from 1 to 6 and get paid the equivalent dollar amount of the number that came up, on average you'd win ($1+$2+...+$6)/6=$3.5 playing this game. So if they charged you less than this to enter the game, it'd be worth it, but not otherwise. The puzzle is slightly more complicated in that you get to roll the dice up to 3 times. Each time you have the option of keeping the dollar equivalent of the number that came up or to roll again. Obviously, if you roll a 1, you'd wanna roll again, but if you get a 6 you'd wanna get the money and quit. (If you decide to roll 3 times, whatever comes up on that last roll is what you get paid.)

Questions: For what numbers on the 1st roll would you want to roll again? Same question for the 2nd roll. And how much are you willing to pay to enter this game?

Round up the answers to the nearest cent, i.e. 2nd decimal point. And remember that an interviewer is breathing on the phone while waiting for your answer.

Mehrnaz

Did you see my comment about your answer being one of the two that was correct? 

cheers ;-)

-YT

Anony8

They initially paid $10 each which is $30 total. Subsequantly they got $1 refund from the bellhop, that make it $9 each.

Am I any help?

-YT

Anonymous 8

The bill for the men came to $25, they had over-paid £5, so if $2 is kept back and $3 is given to them as $1 each, it means that they will have paid $9 each which makes an overall payment of $27, so their bill, as far as they are concerned is now $27 which is the original $25 plus $2 which has been taken by the billboy. Therefore $27 plus the $3 they have got given back makes $30.

The clue is to think in terms of their original bill rather than $30.

no, I can't! that's why i'm asking!

i thought you already gave the answer. but how does the $9 per person make sense?

many comments are just restating the problem that you have, saying $30 = $25 + $3 + $2. some of the people who have answers say that the men didn't REALLY pay $9. yes it works out if they paid $9 and 1/3 dollars each.

But how?

Anony8

If you read at the problem, you will see tha calculation is showing there is $1 still missing. Can you tell me where is it?

-YT

baby Lion

10 - 1 = 9

are u disputing this?

-YT

Irandokht

lol you got it 

-YT

Ayhab, it is still confusing to me

as one of the men, I paid $10.
then someone gave me $1. So I paid $9.

Why is this not so?

capt, this is your answer!

According to my father  "LION"

 that $1 is NOT lost... it is in $25..

becuase the businessmen all together had to pay $25.. and $25 / 3 is greater than $8, not $9 ..

they have not paid $9 each.

On the Rope, Captain

Well, I would not do this personally but would get someone more athletic!

I would ask her to
- get the end of one rope, perhaps tie it around her or something to have free hands to climb the other rope;
- reaching the top to stretch and tie the rope she has brought up tightly at the top, she would lose 20 feet;
- cut the remainder 30 feet
-climb down with it!!!
- reaching the ground cut the 10 feet dangling from the rope
-plus her height plus as far as she can reach with arms stretched up!!

So, 30+10+the length of the brave person with her arms stretched right up!!

Is this right?!

LOL

He probably weighs the meat

:0)

IRANdokht

answers

20$ profit on the horse problem.

and Lady Tarzan, your second answer is correct ;-)

-YT

Yet another one

a man's height is six feet, he’s an assistant at a butcher’s shop, and wears size 9 shoes.

What does he weigh?

-YT

Horse problem, Captain

on the second transaction when he sells the horse for $60, he makes $10
on the forth transaction when he sells the horse for $80, he makes $10

Soooo he makes $20

Mister Captain,

on the horse, I gained $20 since this is what happened to my pocket:

-50+60-70+80=+20

The rope is foggy as we don't know how athletic we are supposed to be, lady Tarzan or no jump at all?

How Much Rope? (Take 2)

Okay, if I can’t be lady Tarzan, I'll have to use my brain power. (There isn't much of it left. I was on call all last night!)

Here is what I’ll do:

1. Tie the ropes to each other.
2. Climb up the first rope.
3. Tie a knot to the first rope close to the ceiling and then cut the first rope below the knot.
4. In order to stay alive and prevent the mistakes of the first solution, I’ll feed the first rope through the knot and fasten it to my waist.
5. Now all I must do is to climb the second rope using my lady Tarzan swinging techniques.
6. Cut the second rope close to the ceiling.
7. Finally, I will come down using the first rope which has been fed through the knot.

I have stolen the whole thing.

zero feet

because I took a look at the ropes and they are both coiled up near the ceiling and regardless of the fact that you have a knife and the ropes are "hanging", the ropes are wrapped near the ceiling 20 feet high in the air. You can cut zero amount, or go and get a ladder :)

Jaleh0 Jan

on horse peoblem: 

Q: did he make money, lose money, or break even?

on Rope, I don't get your question. Why do you think it is foggy?

-YT

Laleh

On horse problem, you missed out again sorry ha LOL

-YT

Laleh

Unless you are Lady Tarzan you are not going to be able to swing 20 feet distance.

try again

-YT

Re: Horse Problem

He made $80 because he sold his horse for $80. The first three transactions cancel each other out.

How Much Rope?

I can steal it all! Here is what I have to do:

1. Climb to the top of the first rope.
2. Swing to the second rope and get a hang of it.
3. Cut the second rope from the ceiling.
4. Now cut down the first rope from the ceiling.
5.By the time I fall down to the ground, if I am still conscious and capable of walking, I’ll grab both rope and escape. If not, your riddle has just killed me!

captain, is the rope puzzle

meant to be foggy, or can you explain what it exactly wants a bit more without giving it away?

And, am I missing something about the horse one being just a profit?