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Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 3:51 pm
by Animal
Yep. The answer is 30.906250.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 4:31 pm
by Animal
Let's say there is a basket. And inside the basket are twelve balls. Five of the balls are white. And Seven of the balls are black.

Now, each time you draw out a ball, you note what color it is and then you replace it. As you replace it, you also add back 2 more balls that are the same color. You do this each time you draw out a ball.

What are the odds (your answer must be a fraction or ratio in its lowest denominator) that you drew out a black ball, then drew out another black ball, then drew out a white ball, and then drew out another white ball?

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 3:44 am
by QillerDaemon
Animal wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 3:51 pm Yep. The answer is 30.906250.
Well, yes you're "right", but this is an olympiad question. They don't want a numerical answer, they want to see you go thru the effort to show a rational form of the right answer. That involves going thru expansions and substitutions to arrive at rational sub-answers, which you'll use for further expansions and substitutions, until you come to the rational answer.

That is to say, besides X2 + Y2 = 2, what else is it equal to? What is X3 + Y3 equal to? What are the patterns as you go up the exponents? Once you arrive at those intermediate formulas, what can you use to simplify them?

The "correct" answer is actually X11 + Y11 = 989/32. You'll come to this once you figure out what X5 + Y5 and X6 + Y6 are equal to.

But geeez, you really want me to go thru all that?! :|

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:02 pm
by Bluespruce1964
4 - 3 + 10 / 5 * 2 =

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:50 pm
by Animal
Bluespruce1964 wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:02 pm 4 - 3 + 10 / 5 * 2 =
-3

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 4:36 pm
by Animal
QillerDaemon wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 3:44 am
Animal wrote: Tue Mar 29, 2022 3:51 pm Yep. The answer is 30.906250.
Well, yes you're "right", but this is an olympiad question. They don't want a numerical answer, they want to see you go thru the effort to show a rational form of the right answer. That involves going thru expansions and substitutions to arrive at rational sub-answers, which you'll use for further expansions and substitutions, until you come to the rational answer.

That is to say, besides X2 + Y2 = 2, what else is it equal to? What is X3 + Y3 equal to? What are the patterns as you go up the exponents? Once you arrive at those intermediate formulas, what can you use to simplify them?

The "correct" answer is actually X11 + Y11 = 989/32. You'll come to this once you figure out what X5 + Y5 and X6 + Y6 are equal to.

But geeez, you really want me to go thru all that?! :|
Wow, you never fail to tell me i have the right answer but put a disqualifier on it as though its wrong.

if you want to see the long version, then its 31,648 + (18,272 * sqrt(3)) - 31,648 - (18,272 * squrt(3)) / 2048.

which reduces to (31,648 + 31648)/2048 or 63,296/2048. Now, factoring that down we get 31,648/1024 = 15,824/512 = 7,912/256 = 3956/128 = 1978/64 = 989/32. which is as low as you can go.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 11:08 pm
by Bluespruce1964
Animal wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:50 pm
Bluespruce1964 wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:02 pm 4 - 3 + 10 / 5 * 2 =
-3
Isn't is PEMDAS?

4-3+4= 5?

It's been 36 years since I've taken a math class, but I think I still remember how.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 11:14 pm
by Animal
Bluespruce1964 wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 11:08 pm
Animal wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:50 pm
Bluespruce1964 wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:02 pm 4 - 3 + 10 / 5 * 2 =
-3
Isn't is PEMDAS?

4-3+4= 5?

It's been 36 years since I've taken a math class, but I think I still remember how.
Honestly, I don't know. The way I learned you did Multiply and Divide first in whatever order they came from left to right. Neither Multiply or divide took priority over each other, only how they read left to right. Next Plus and Minus the same way.

The reason I was given at the time was that if there was a reason why you MUST multiply 5*2 before you divide 10/5 then you would use parenthesis to emphasize what goes first. Without parenthesis, you read the equation left to right and solve Multiplication and division first, then add and subtract.

So, this problem becomes 4 - 3 + 2 * 2 = 4 - 3 + 4 = 5. which I got it wrong the first time. I don't know what I did.

Yes, you are right.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2022 11:50 pm
by Antknot
Bluespruce1964 wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:02 pm 4 - 3 + 10 / 5 * 2 =
order of operations is Multiply, divide, add, subtract

so it becomes
4 -{3 + [10 / (5 * 2)}}
4 - {3 +[ 10 / 10]}
4 - { 3 + 1}
4 - 4
0

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2022 2:43 am
by QillerDaemon
Animal wrote: Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:50 pm
Bluespruce1964 wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:02 pm 4 - 3 + 10 / 5 * 2 =
-3
This is the answer you get if you use C operator precedence. Mult/Div then +/- in left to right order.

Other programming languages will give different answers, since they use a different operator order.
MUMPS (DSM) will give an answer of 4.4, GWBasic will give 0.

That's why there is no answer to this problem. Even mathematicians will disagree on precedence.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2022 1:33 am
by QillerDaemon
Image

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2022 6:44 pm
by Antknot
Image

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2022 7:34 pm
by Animal
Hefner's formula was always to divide your own age by 2 and then add 7. No matter what age you are.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2022 12:42 am
by Bluespruce1964
If the cost of a bat and a baseball combined is $1.10 and the bat costs $1.00 more than the ball, how much is the ball?

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2022 12:46 am
by Animal
Bluespruce1964 wrote: Mon Apr 11, 2022 12:42 am If the cost of a bat and a baseball combined is $1.10 and the bat costs $1.00 more than the ball, how much is the ball?
a nickle.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2022 12:48 am
by Antknot
Bluespruce1964 wrote: Mon Apr 11, 2022 12:42 am If the cost of a bat and a baseball combined is $1.10 and the bat costs $1.00 more than the ball, how much is the ball?
..050

Assuming no tax

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2022 7:00 pm
by Deathproof
What is the next number in this sequence:

3, 13, 1113, 3113, 132113, 1113122113, __________

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2022 7:36 pm
by stonedmegman
42

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:09 pm
by Animal
311311222113

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 3:46 am
by Deathproof
Animal wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:09 pm311311222113
Good job.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:02 pm
by Animal
Deathproof wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 3:46 am
Animal wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:09 pm311311222113
Good job.
How high would you have to continue this sequence before one of the numbers became a "4"?

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:22 pm
by Deathproof
Animal wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:02 pm
Deathproof wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 3:46 am
Animal wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:09 pm311311222113
Good job.
How high would you have to continue this sequence before one of the numbers became a "4"?
Hmmm... good question. Let's try it out. The next number in the sequence would be 13211321322113. Your turn.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:43 pm
by Animal
Deathproof wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:22 pm
Animal wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:02 pm
Deathproof wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 3:46 am
Animal wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:09 pm311311222113
Good job.
How high would you have to continue this sequence before one of the numbers became a "4"?
Hmmm... good question. Let's try it out. The next number in the sequence would be 13211321322113. Your turn.
1113122113121113222113. your turn.

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:40 am
by Deathproof
Animal wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:43 pm
Deathproof wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:22 pm
Animal wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:02 pm
Deathproof wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 3:46 am
Animal wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:09 pm311311222113
Good job.
How high would you have to continue this sequence before one of the numbers became a "4"?
Hmmm... good question. Let's try it out. The next number in the sequence would be 13211321322113. Your turn.
1113122113121113222113. your turn.
31131122211311123113322113

Re: Interesting Math Problems

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 2:25 pm
by Animal
Deathproof wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:40 am
Animal wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:43 pm
Deathproof wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:22 pm
Animal wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:02 pm
Deathproof wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 3:46 am
Animal wrote: Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:09 pm311311222113
Good job.
How high would you have to continue this sequence before one of the numbers became a "4"?
Hmmm... good question. Let's try it out. The next number in the sequence would be 13211321322113. Your turn.
1113122113121113222113. your turn.
31131122211311123113322113
132113213221133112132123222113