Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums

1q2w3e · 10-10-2007, 04:28 PM

Well i got more then 1 but for first time i'll state only 1.

The problem:

on one cross-street live 2 twins from which 1 of them ALWAYS says the TRUTH
2nd of them ALWAYS says the LIE

The street is leading to points
A and B
and they both live in the middle

lets say you want to go to point A(but you dont know which is the way to it)
what question(only one question) would you ask so you find out which is the way to A?

seeker5 · 10-10-2007, 05:46 PM

Is the answer:

Ask both of them what the other one would say if asked for direction. Then do the opposite of what both would say.

Rose of Cairo · 10-10-2007, 05:49 PM

hihihi, I know, I know...

edit: seeker5, you spoiler!
asking one of them what the other one would have said and doing the opposite is enough, btw.

1q2w3e · 10-10-2007, 06:06 PM

i dont think both of you got something.

you will still dont know what is the right way to get to A :P

Angela · 10-10-2007, 06:11 PM

I would look it up on Mapquest.

1q2w3e · 10-10-2007, 06:26 PM

lol yeah mapquest :P

Erin Pavlina · 10-10-2007, 07:04 PM

The answer is you ask Guy A: If I asked Guy B which street I should go down, what will he say?

If street A is the correct way to go down and guy A is the truthful one, he will reply: He'll say to go down street B.

If street A is the correct way to go down and guy A is the liar, he will reply: He'll say to go down street B.

In either case, you want to go down street A.

If street B is the correct way to go down and guy A is the truthful one, he will reply: He'll tell you to go down street A.

If street B is the correct way to go down and guy A is the liar, he will reply: He'll tell you to go down street A.

In either case, you go down the opposite street from the answer.

Rose of Cairo · 10-10-2007, 07:08 PM

That's what we said, Erin. Why is it wrong, 1q2w3e?

1q2w3e · 10-10-2007, 08:37 PM

i really dont understand your explanations maybe you didnt understand or i didnt state the problem correctly...
You DONT know which is the truthfull guy and which one isnt :P think about it and see that with your answer you still dont know which street to take so u get to point A ...

discuss..

Savage · 10-10-2007, 08:42 PM

If you're really clever, you can actually solve this without asking the twins any questions at all.

1q2w3e · 10-10-2007, 08:43 PM

if when writing "you" you think of me then sorry to dissapoint you but im not even near clever lol

1q2w3e · 10-10-2007, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

If you're really clever, you can actually solve this without asking the twins any questions at all.

by the way what you ment to say there .. u got solution ?

Carl Carlson IV · 10-11-2007, 07:09 AM

So I get to ask both of them one question, or do I ask one question to both of them? As in like, I ask A something, then B something, or do I ask A and B something?

Carl Carlson IV · 10-11-2007, 07:12 AM

Oh, nevermind, just walk past them up the street. AMIRITE?

Rose of Cairo · 10-11-2007, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1q2w3e

i really dont understand your explanations maybe you didnt understand or i didnt state the problem correctly...
You DONT know which is the truthfull guy and which one isnt :P think about it and see that with your answer you still dont know which street to take so u get to point A ...

discuss..

Do I understand correctly that there are only two possible directions you can go? (one to A, one not to A)

In this case, IT DOESN'T MATTER which one is the truthful guy. Just ask one of the guys (it doesn't matter which one) what the other guy would have told you if you asked him (the other guy) for the right direction to get to A.

Then you know that the correct way to get to A is the other direction (not what the guy told you, the other one).

Very simple if you have only two possible ways.

seeker5 · 10-11-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1q2w3e

i really dont understand your explanations maybe you didnt understand or i didnt state the problem correctly...
You DONT know which is the truthfull guy and which one isnt :P think about it and see that with your answer you still dont know which street to take so u get to point A ...

Ok. To clarify the question, how about asking one of the guys "What would your twin brother say is the direct opposite direction to get to point A". Then follow that direction as it leads to "A".

No matter which one answers, the answer will point in the right direction.

That's similiar to what Rose, Erin and myself have pretty much said beforehand.

DrMartinRussell · 10-11-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

If you're really clever, you can actually solve this without asking the twins any questions at all.

Okay, you've got me on that one.

No one else knows, only the twins. So I could say something like, "Walk with me this way if the other twin would say I was going in the wrong direction." ie use a command form of the above questions. But that doesn't seem like it would be your solution Steve.

Now how are you going to let me in on the answer without spoiling it for everyone. How about a reply that says **** WARNING Solution Below...?

babuji · 10-11-2007, 01:46 PM

This is making the assumption that the two points are in opposite directions relative to where the twins are. The question simply be to ask either one:

"What would your brother say is the direction to go to Point A?"

If the question was asked to Brother A (truthful), his reply would be:
My brother would point to direction B, since he would say the exact opposite.

If the question was asked to Brother B (liar), his reply would be:
My brother would point to direction B, since his brother would actually point to Direction A, however because Brother B is a liar, he would flip his brother's answer to direction B anyway.

And then what you would do is simply thank them and go in the opposite direction of where either one of them would point.

Apparently, I've heard these are the types of questions Microsoft asks on their interviews...

Brutha · 10-12-2007, 11:16 PM

For those who have solved the above problem:
The advanced problem:
"You have three people, one of them tells always the truth, one lies always and the third does lie sometimes and does tell the truth at other times. You may ask two questions to find the right way".

Angela · 10-12-2007, 11:30 PM

That reminds me of the oldest test: You are interviewing three women to be your secretary. One is brilliantly intelligent, one is charming and attractive, and the third has incriminating photos of you and a monkey. Which one do you hire?

Rose of Cairo · 10-13-2007, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brutha

For those who have solved the above problem:
The advanced problem:
"You have three people, one of them tells always the truth, one lies always and the third does lie sometimes and does tell the truth at other times. You may ask two questions to find the right way".

Brutha, are we in a two or three values logic? I mean, are there only two possible answers, A and B, and guy #3 says randomly A or B, or is "undefined" a possible answer too?

Savage · 10-13-2007, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela

That reminds me of the oldest test: You are interviewing three women to be your secretary. One is brilliantly intelligent, one is charming and attractive, and the third has incriminating photos of you and a monkey. Which one do you hire?

I'd hire the monkey.

cdn2wheeler · 10-13-2007, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela

That reminds me of the oldest test: You are interviewing three women to be your secretary. One is brilliantly intelligent, one is charming and attractive, and the third has incriminating photos of you and a monkey. Which one do you hire?

The one with the biggest... uh... oh, nevermind.

Angela · 10-13-2007, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdn2wheeler

The one with the biggest... uh... oh, nevermind.

That is the correct answer! You've heard this joke.

cdn2wheeler · 10-13-2007, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angela

That is the correct answer! You've heard this joke.

A variation on it, yes.

10-10-2007, 04:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
1q2w3e Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7	can you solve 1 simple problem :) ? Well i got more then 1 but for first time i'll state only 1. The problem: on one cross-street live 2 twins from which 1 of them ALWAYS says the TRUTH 2nd of them ALWAYS says the LIE The street is leading to points A and B and they both live in the middle lets say you want to go to point A(but you dont know which is the way to it) what question(only one question) would you ask so you find out which is the way to A?

10-10-2007, 07:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
Erin Pavlina Administrator Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 4,593	The answer is you ask Guy A: If I asked Guy B which street I should go down, what will he say? If street A is the correct way to go down and guy A is the truthful one, he will reply: He'll say to go down street B. If street A is the correct way to go down and guy A is the liar, he will reply: He'll say to go down street B. In either case, you want to go down street A. If street B is the correct way to go down and guy A is the truthful one, he will reply: He'll tell you to go down street A. If street B is the correct way to go down and guy A is the liar, he will reply: He'll tell you to go down street A. In either case, you go down the opposite street from the answer. __________________ Erin Pavlina, Intuitive Counselor Connect with me on: Facebook

10-10-2007, 08:42 PM	#10 (permalink)
Savage Master Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 5,988	If you're really clever, you can actually solve this without asking the twins any questions at all. __________________ Steve Pavlina www.StevePavlina.com Join me on: Twitter \| Google+

10-11-2007, 01:46 PM	#18 (permalink)
babuji Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 154	This is making the assumption that the two points are in opposite directions relative to where the twins are. The question simply be to ask either one: "What would your brother say is the direction to go to Point A?" If the question was asked to Brother A (truthful), his reply would be: My brother would point to direction B, since he would say the exact opposite. If the question was asked to Brother B (liar), his reply would be: My brother would point to direction B, since his brother would actually point to Direction A, however because Brother B is a liar, he would flip his brother's answer to direction B anyway. And then what you would do is simply thank them and go in the opposite direction of where either one of them would point. Apparently, I've heard these are the types of questions Microsoft asks on their interviews... Last edited by babuji; 10-11-2007 at 01:50 PM.

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10-10-2007, 05:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
seeker5 Family Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,606	Is the answer: Ask both of them what the other one would say if asked for direction. Then do the opposite of what both would say.

10-10-2007, 05:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Rose of Cairo Family Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: France -> Germany -> France -> Brazil Posts: 3,430	hihihi, I know, I know... edit: seeker5, you spoiler! asking one of them what the other one would have said and doing the opposite is enough, btw.

10-10-2007, 06:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
1q2w3e Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7	i dont think both of you got something. you will still dont know what is the right way to get to A :P

10-10-2007, 06:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
Angela Banned Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 22,520	I would look it up on Mapquest.

10-10-2007, 06:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
1q2w3e Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7	lol yeah mapquest :P

10-10-2007, 07:08 PM	#8 (permalink)
Rose of Cairo Family Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: France -> Germany -> France -> Brazil Posts: 3,430	That's what we said, Erin. Why is it wrong, 1q2w3e?

10-10-2007, 08:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
1q2w3e Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7	i really dont understand your explanations maybe you didnt understand or i didnt state the problem correctly... You DONT know which is the truthfull guy and which one isnt :P think about it and see that with your answer you still dont know which street to take so u get to point A ... discuss..

10-10-2007, 08:43 PM	#11 (permalink)
1q2w3e Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 7	if when writing "you" you think of me then sorry to dissapoint you but im not even near clever lol

10-11-2007, 07:09 AM	#13 (permalink)
Carl Carlson IV Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 337	So I get to ask both of them one question, or do I ask one question to both of them? As in like, I ask A something, then B something, or do I ask A and B something?

10-11-2007, 07:12 AM	#14 (permalink)
Carl Carlson IV Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 337	Oh, nevermind, just walk past them up the street. AMIRITE?

10-12-2007, 11:16 PM	#19 (permalink)
Brutha Family Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 8,749	For those who have solved the above problem: The advanced problem: "You have three people, one of them tells always the truth, one lies always and the third does lie sometimes and does tell the truth at other times. You may ask two questions to find the right way".

10-12-2007, 11:30 PM	#20 (permalink)
Angela Banned Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 22,520	That reminds me of the oldest test: You are interviewing three women to be your secretary. One is brilliantly intelligent, one is charming and attractive, and the third has incriminating photos of you and a monkey. Which one do you hire?

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