Club Math is the first ever student math club at Kaua‘i Community College. The club is interested in the practicality and usefulness of mathematics in everyday living. The goal is to involve the community by promoting this ideal. What follows
Club Math is the first ever student math club at Kaua‘i Community College. The club is interested in the practicality and usefulness of mathematics in everyday living. The goal is to involve the community by promoting this ideal. What follows is the last math puzzle printed two weeks ago followed by the answer. The club submits weekly brainteasers for the education page.
Hats:
There are two red hats and thee blue hats. Three blindfolded men each take a hat and put it on. The first person takes off the blindfold and looks at the others’ hats. He can’t tell what color hat he is wearing. Then the second man takes off his blindfold and looks at the others’ hats. He is also unable to tell what color hat he has. Because of this, when the third man takes off his blindfold, he knows what color hat he is wearing. What color hat is he wearing?
Solution:
From reading through the problem we get the idea that there is not enough information. However, looking back into the first two sentences, we find that there is just enough information provided to figure this out. It is a simple process of elimination that is narrowed down to the third man. If he takes off his blindfold and sees two red hats, he instantly knows what hat he has on (This can also be confirmed by the premises that the first two men could not tell what color hat they had). Since there were only 2 red hats to begin with, he cannot be wearing a red hat. Therefore, he is wearing a blue hat.
Next week’s teaser:
Four hungry children
A mother has four hungry children to feed, but only three potatoes. Without using fractions, how can she divvy up the potatoes so that each child receives an equal portion?
