Poll of the Day > Can you Solve this DIFFICULT MATH Question???

(+) Yeah! (+)

Here's another math doozy from Asia that should make your head spin...can anyone figure this out??

https://i.imgur.com/O57YxSw.jpg
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How is this a math problem?

Bernard is given the day and says that he did not know. So it must be a repeating number. That eliminates the 18th and 19th.

That's as far as I get.

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I think its more of a logic problem.

June 17th?



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August 17th is the answer, but you didn't include it.

What the heck duckbear

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I'm stuck at figuring out how Albert knows that Bernard does not know.

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sorry forgot to put august 17 as an option
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Albert's statement means that the birthday is in a month with no unique day number.

That means July or August.

Bernard not knowing before, but knowing from that, excludes repeats in those two months.

Thus not the 14th.

Drawing a blank on getting the answer from the remaining 3.

Misread, final statement is Albert again, not some 4th kid... Then I do know...

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Never mind, it might not be August 17.

I don't know how to narrow it beyond July 16, August 15, and August 17.

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faramir77 posted...

I don't know how to narrow it beyond July 16, August 15, and August 17.

Albert then knowing, means he was told the month that has only 1 option remaining.

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Its July 16th. Albert only knows the month, and he has two choices in august and he doesn't know the date. I came to the wrong conclusion with my original guess.


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Nichtcrawler X posted...

Albert then knowing, means he was told the month that has only 1 option remaining.

But there's no logical way for him to have known that Bernard wasn't told 15 or 17.

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Yeah but wtf is wrong with cheryl?

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Bernard - "At first I don't know" because it was a repeating number.
Albert - "I know that Bernard does not know" because it was not a month which contained a unique number.
Bernard - "I know now" because it was a non-repeating number in the remaining months.
There are 2 options for August and 1 for July. For Albert to also know at this point it must be the unique month.
July 16

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SKARDAVNELNATE posted...

I'm stuck at figuring out how Albert knows that Bernard does not know.

They have a psychic link

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faramir77 posted...

But there's no logical way for him to have known that Bernard wasn't told 15 or 17.

But he knows what month he was told himself.

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Nichtcrawler X posted...

But he knows what month he was told himself.

Right.

But from Albert's clue, if Bernard had been told 15 or 17, he would still have been able to say the same thing.

Albert is not able to say what he said, logically. If Bernard said "I know now, and Albert can know, too", then it would work.

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JOExHIGASHI posted...

They have a psychic link

Then the would also possess both the answer and the question... er, the month and the day.

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faramir77 posted...

But from Albert's clue, if Bernard had been told 15 or 17, he would still have been able to say the same thing.

Then Albert would have been told August and he would not be able to deduce 1 or the other. that he knows, means it has to be the option with only 1 remaining answer.

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Nichtcrawler X posted...

Then Albert would have been told August and he would not be able to deduce 1 or the other. that he knows, means it has to be the option with only 1 remaining answer.

So basically Albert is just guessing, and was right.

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faramir77 posted...

But there's no logical way for him to have known that Bernard wasn't told 15 or 17.

Maybe they've been observing her every day since becoming friends to see if she celebrates her birthday and today is August 18.

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faramir77 posted...

So basically Albert is just guessing, and was right.

There is a situation where all those statements in order are truthful, no guesses or lies needed.

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SKARDAVNELNATE posted...

Then they would also possess both the answer and the question... er, the month and the day.

They choose not to read that thought with their psychic link

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I...

Im stupid. because this goes right over my head. Also the wording in parts just feels wrong.

Id just find a new friend.

faramir77 posted...

So basically Albert is just guessing, and was right.

At the point when Bernard knows, there are 3 options left as far as the reader should be aware. The characters have more knowledge than the reader does.

Bernard knows the day. If Bernard was told 18 or 19 he would have known earlier. Albert saying he knows Bernard does not know removed 2 months. If Bernard were told 14 he would still not know which of the remaining 2 months.

Since Bernard now knows the reader must deduce that Bernard was told either 15, 16, or 17.

Albert deduces the above and realizes Bernard was told either 15, 16, or 17. Albert knows the month. If Albert was told August then he still would not know whether Bernard was told 15 or 17. If Albert were told July then he knows Bernard must have been told 16.

Since Albert now knows the reader must deduce Albert was told July.

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Ah, I get it now.

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