# Here is one for you Ivanhoe



## CalvinandHodges (Mar 21, 2008)

Hay:

A man with 3 sons dies and leaves 11 cars for their inheritance. The Eldest son is given 1/2 of the Cars, the middle son gets 1/4 of the cars, and the youngest gets 1/6 of the cars.

How do you divide them up among them without destroying any of the cars?

Blessings,

-CH


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## danmpem (Mar 21, 2008)




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## Semper Fidelis (Mar 21, 2008)

CalvinandHodges said:


> Hay:
> 
> A man with 3 sons dies and leaves 11 cars for their inheritance. The Eldest son is given 1/2 of the Cars, the middle son gets 1/4 of the cars, and the youngest gets 1/6 of the cars.
> 
> ...



Tell the executor to divide up 12 cars among your children.

The eldest then gets 6 cars, the second gets 3, and the youngest gets 2 for a total of 11 cars.


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## RamistThomist (Mar 21, 2008)

CalvinandHodges said:


> Hay:
> 
> A man with 3 sons dies and leaves 11 cars for their inheritance. The Eldest son is given 1/2 of the Cars, the middle son gets 1/4 of the cars, and the youngest gets 1/6 of the cars.
> 
> ...



They will neither drive nor be driven in heaven.


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## Seb (Mar 21, 2008)

Somebody needs to buy another car.


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## Contra_Mundum (Mar 21, 2008)

What makes the solution interesting is that without adding 1, you are left with something less than 90% of one car at the end, that nobody gets. Add one, and nobody gets left out, everyone feels satisfied, and you end up with the 1 you added.


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## Answerman (Mar 21, 2008)

Do the fractions have to be exact, or can they be rounded off?

My guess is the same as Rich's 6,3 and 2.

If the fractions have to be exact, you could figure which components of the cars are not critical to the function of the cars and remove those parts until you reach the exact number. Things like hub-caps, radios... Of course you also have to decide what criteria you are going to use to determine how you are going to divide it up, by weight, cost of item...


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## CalvinandHodges (Mar 21, 2008)

Hay:

Semper Fi Do or Die - Did it again!

Hmmm, here is another one:

Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then says to you, "Do you want to pick door No. 2?" Is it to your advantage to switch your choice?

In other words: What is the probability that if you switch you will win?

Blessings,

-CH


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## ChristopherPaul (Mar 21, 2008)

SemperFideles said:


> CalvinandHodges said:
> 
> 
> > Hay:
> ...





How is this the answer? 6/11 = .55 3/11 = .27 and 2/11 = .18 So the eldest got more than half, the middle son gets more than a quarter, and the youngest gets more than a sixth. How can we arbitrarily add a car that is not there and end up with fractions that do not match the requirements?


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## CalvinandHodges (Mar 21, 2008)

Hi:

Because the fractions are of 12 not 11:

1/2 of 12 = 6
1/4 of 12 = 3
1/6 of 12 = 2

6+3+2= 11 with one leftover car.

G&P

-CH


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## Seb (Mar 21, 2008)

CalvinandHodges said:


> Hay:
> 
> Semper Fi Do or Die - Did it again!
> 
> ...





You should switch. 

With your first pick you have a 1 in 3 (33%) chance of getting the car.

With the second pick you have a 1 in 2 (50%) chance.


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## ChristopherPaul (Mar 21, 2008)

CalvinandHodges said:


> Hi:
> 
> Because the fractions are of 12 not 11:
> 
> ...



But were not the fractions to be based on 11 total cars? Perhaps if the will stated "at least" then this would seem more accurate.


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## CalvinandHodges (Mar 21, 2008)

Hay:

You have to be able to think outside the box, and solve the problem creatively. Now, can you solve the next puzzle (the answer is not what you may think):

Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then says to you, "Do you want to pick door No. 2?" Is it to your advantage to switch your choice?

Grace and Peace,

-CH


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## aleksanderpolo (Mar 21, 2008)

No difference switching or not.


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## Seb (Mar 21, 2008)

CalvinandHodges said:


> Hay:
> 
> You have to be able to think outside the box, and solve the problem creatively. Now, can you solve the next puzzle (the answer is not what you may think):
> 
> ...



Already solved in post #11


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## Contra_Mundum (Mar 21, 2008)

CalvinandHodges said:


> Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then says to you, "Do you want to pick door No. 2?" Is it to your advantage to switch your choice?
> 
> In other words: What is the probability that if you switch you will win?



I also think the math supports switching. The point of all of these games is that they are counter-intuitive, our "basic ideas" are being manipulated by the addition of a variable or two.

At first pick, you probably guessed wrong. That's just a fact. You only had a 1/3 probability of being right, 2/3 of being wrong. You probably have a goat. This is the fact that is missed when, in the 2nd place, you are given a supposedly 50-50 choice.

Then, the FALSE alternative is removed. So, switch. Your odds are slightly BETTER than 1/2 to get the car, rather than lose it, by switching.

Add to it this: if the hosts want to "create a winner" (say its been a bad day for winners), and you get it RIGHT the first time, maybe they just open the door for you and congratulate you on your pick. By giving you a "second choice" they may be hoping you will get the car, but still making a game of it. Can't leave out the "entertainment" factor...


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## CalvinandHodges (Mar 21, 2008)

Seb said:


> CalvinandHodges said:
> 
> 
> > Hay:
> ...



Sorry, I missed it. You are off a bit - you have a 2/3 chance of winning if you switch as Rev. Buchanan pointed out.

-CH


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## Seb (Mar 21, 2008)

CalvinandHodges said:


> Seb said:
> 
> 
> > CalvinandHodges said:
> ...





I stand humbly corrected. 

A fairly thorough "treatise" on that puzzle here


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## danmpem (Mar 21, 2008)

Good one!


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