Serenes Brain Teasers, DAY 14

[eclipse]

So, let's work backwards.

Since we know that the end result is zero, Karnage swindled sold one car (since he can't sell 1/2 cars). That means on day 3, he had three cars left in the lot (3/2 = 1 car sold, and one more makes for two). Day 2 was seven cars total, which means he started with 15 cars.

So, full math:

Day 1: (31/2 + 1 = 16 cars sold, 15 cars remain)

Day 2: (15/2 + 1 = 8 cars sold, 7 cars remain)

Day 3: (7/2 + 1 = 4 cars sold, 3 remain)

Day 4: (3/2 + 1 = 2 cars sold, 1 remains)

Day 5: (1/2 + 1 = 1 car sold, empty lot)

Or, more simply, 2^n - 1, where n = number of days

EDIT: I can't count.

Edited June 7, 2016 by eclipse

[Elieson]

Working backwards, on Customer 4 he sold [X] + 1 = 0, where [X] is 1/2R.

In order to sell out on Customer 4, he needs to have had 2 cars. Any amount greater than that means he wouldn't have had exactly 1 car left to sell before the +1 sale occurs. Ergo, when C4 arrived, he had 2 cars and sold them both.

When C3 was there, he would have had to sell 4 cars in total, so he had 6 there. Half of 6 means he sold to C3 3 + 1.

When C2 was there, he would have had to sell 8 cars in total, so he had 14 there. Half of 14 means he sold to C2 7 + 1.

When C1 first arrived, he would have had to sell 16 cars in total, so he had 30 there. Half of 30 means he sold to C1 15 + 1.

Therefore, the lot started with exactly 30 cars.

Edited June 7, 2016 by Elieson

[Serpent of Sheol]

Edited June 7, 2016 by Quicksilver

[Integrity]

unfortunately, the salesman's order of operations was shot off during the war, and he tries to sell half a car to his second customer. the government raids his operation, and finds out he was never selling cars, only laundering mafia money. not only captain karnage, but also "big joe" rosetti, whose thumb had been suppressing the used car business in serenes for years, and also "dave" birighitti, the capo of the entire serenes mafia, are tried and jailed. none are heard from again.

[Balcerzak]

Karnage is a used car salesman. He sold half of his cars plus 1 more to his first customer of the day. To the second customer, he sold half his remainder plus 1 more. To the third customer, he sold half the remainder plus 1 more; and to the fourth customer he sold half the remainder plus 1 more. Karnage was now the proud salesman on an empty car lot. How many cars did Karnage have for the sale at the start of this fantastic day?

remember to keep your answers in spoilers

30

16 go to customer 1, leaving 14

8 go to customer 2, leaving 6

4 go to customer 3, leaving 2

2 go to customer 4, leaving 0

[Rezzy]

I have very little respect for brain teasers that try to be clever through their wording.

True, but the last one made no sense, containing "to dig to dig".

[Captain Karnage]

Balcerzak was right

DAY 11

Picture a ship at anchor. Over the side hangs a rope ladder with half meter rungs. The tide rises a half meter per hour. At the end of five hours, how much of the ladder will remain above the water assuming that nine rungs were above the water to begin with when the tide began to rise?

remember to keep your answers in spoilers

[Rezzy]

[spoiler=Guess and Reasoning]9 rungs, the ship will rise with the tide, even when anchored.

[Elieson]

The same amount should be above (Nine) because tides raise boats, which raise the ladder with boat..

[eclipse]

Nine rungs, since anchors keep the ship from wandering off, not floating.

[Balcerzak]

DAY 11

Picture a ship at anchor. Over the side hangs a rope ladder with half meter rungs. The tide rises a half meter per hour. At the end of five hours, how much of the ladder will remain above the water assuming that nine rungs were above the water to begin with when the tide began to rise?

remember to keep your answers in spoilers

9 rungs worth of ladder. The rising tide lifts the boat too.

[Captain Karnage]

DAY 12

You have 6 glasses in front of you, the first three are filled with water while the other 3 are empty. By only moving 1 glass how can you make them alternate.

remember to keep your answers in spoilers

[eclipse]

Here's a "picture" of the scenario above:

W = full water glass, w = empty water glass

W  W  W  w  w  w
1  2  3  4  5  6

So, pick up the glass at position 2, empty it into the glass at position 5, and put it back down at position 2.

[Balcerzak]

DAY 12

You have 6 glasses in front of you, the first three are filled with water while the other 3 are empty. By only moving 1 glass how can you make them alternate.

remember to keep your answers in spoilers

|O| |O| |O| |_| |_| |_|

pick up the second full glass, pour the contents into the second empty glass, put it back down where it was.

|O| |_| |O| |_| |O| |_|

[Elieson]

Move the middle filled glass by lifting it, and pouring its contents into the middle empty glass.

[Original Alear]

lift the second glass pour into fifth glass put it back where it was.

[Captain Karnage]

DAY 13

Integrity asked his secretary to make him a coffee. While the secretary was making the coffee, her clip on earring fell into the cup. Even though the cup had coffee in it, the earring didn't get wet. How is this possible?

remember to keep your answers in spoilers

Edited June 10, 2016 by Captain Karnage

[Balcerzak]

Integrity needs to fire that secretary.

Instant coffee? Seriously?

[Elieson]

This woman needs to add water to her coffee grinds before serving it.

[InsaneNoire]

Day 13

Who fills the cup with ground coffee? Maybe they're at some little hotel in Japan, because that's how they made coffee when I was there.

[Makaze]

It was instant coffee.

[eclipse]

If she's making the coffee, it means that the mug is either empty, or has dry coffee in it (gross).

Though I hope she washes the cup before serving her boss.

Edited June 10, 2016 by eclipse

[Captain Karnage]

DAY 14

A man and a boy who are walking together step out with their right feet first. The boy walks 3 paces while the man walks 2. When will they both put their left feet forward together?

remember to keep your answers in spoilers

Edited June 11, 2016 by Captain Karnage

[Rezzy]

[spoiler=Guess and Reasoning]With the second step. It doesn't say they have to be at the same distance, and they could easily be stepping at the same rate; the adult is just covering more ground with each step.

[Daiya]

Boy: Right-Left-Right

Man: Right-Left

Step number 2, I guess