Practical Pat was asked to cut a 99 foot rope into three smaller, equal length ropes.
However, as usual, Pat couldn't find the measuring tape, so a guess took place!
When the tape was finally found (it was under a hat), Pat discovered that:
the second piece of rope was twice as long as the first piece, minus 35 feet the third piece of rope was half the length of the first, plus 15 feet
How long were each of the pieces of rope?
Answer
First = 34 feet.
Second = 33 feet.
Third = 32 feet.
Reasoning
This question can be solved using algebra. If we call the length of the first rope A, we have: Rope 1 = A Rope 2 = 2 x A − 35 Rope 3 = 0.5 x A + 15
The three ropes add to 99 feet: 99 = Rope 1 + Rope 2 + Rope 3 99 = A + (2 x A − 35) + (0.5 x A + 15) 99 = 3.5 x A − 20 119 = 3.5 x A 34 = A
Reasoning
The easiest way to solve this puzzle is to use Q1 to check the logic.
If Q1's answer was A, this tells us that Q2's answer is B, which tells us Q3's is D, which tells us Q4's answer is B, which tells us Q1's answer is C. A contradiction.
If Q1's answer was B, this tells us that Q2's answer is A, which tells us Q3's is C, which tells us Q4's answer is C, which tells us Q1's answer is A. A contradiction.
If Q1's answer was C, this tells us that Q2's answer is D, which tells us Q3's is A, which tells us Q4's answer is D, which tells us Q1's answer is B. A contradiction.
If Q1's answer was D, this tells us that Q2's answer is C, which tells us Q3's is B, which tells us Q4's answer is A, which tells us Q1's answer is D. Which is correct, and therefore the correct answer.
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Puzzle 48
Below is a map of the BrainBashers detention facility.
There are 9 guards, A to I, who are in charge of a particular number of cells.
The guards only guard cells that they can see in a continuous straight line, either horizontally or vertically, and each cell is only protected by one guard.
The numbers represent how many cells each guard is in charge of, they are of course in charge of the cell they are currently in.
Can you work out which guards are in charge of which cells?
A-7
B-7
C-5
D-1
E-5
F-3
G-6
H-3
I-12
Note: this puzzle is not interactive, and the squares cannot be clicked.
