The Secret Santa Exchange
A group of ten friends decide to exchange gifts as secret Santas. Each person writes his or her name on a piece of paper and puts it in a hat. Then each person randomly draws a name from the hat to determine who has him as his or her secret Santa. The secret Santa then makes a gift for the person whose name he drew.
When it's time to exchange presents, each person walks over to the person he made the gift for and holds his or her left hand in his right hand.
What is the probability that the 10 friends holding hands form a single continuous circle?
When it's time to exchange presents, each person walks over to the person he made the gift for and holds his or her left hand in his right hand.
What is the probability that the 10 friends holding hands form a single continuous circle?
Hint: It's not as difficult as it seems.
It's the number of ways the friends can form a circle divided by the number of ways the names can be drawn out of the hat.
1/10
For a group of n friends, there are n! (n factorial) ways to draw the names out of the hat. Since a circle does not have a beginning and end, choose one person as the beginning and end of the circle. There are now (n-1)! ways to distribute the remaining people around the circle. Thus the probability of forming a single circle is
(n-1)! / n!
Since n! = (n-1)! * n (for n > 1), this can be rewritten as
(n-1)! / (n*(n-1)!)
Factoring out the (n-1)! from the numerator and denominator leaves
1/n
as the probability. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
For a group of n friends, there are n! (n factorial) ways to draw the names out of the hat. Since a circle does not have a beginning and end, choose one person as the beginning and end of the circle. There are now (n-1)! ways to distribute the remaining people around the circle. Thus the probability of forming a single circle is
(n-1)! / n!
Since n! = (n-1)! * n (for n > 1), this can be rewritten as
(n-1)! / (n*(n-1)!)
Factoring out the (n-1)! from the numerator and denominator leaves
1/n
as the probability. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Yahtzee Riddle
The game of Yahtzee is played with five dice. On the first turn, a player rolls all five dice, and then may decide to keep any, all, or none of the dice aside before rolling again. Each player has a maximum of three rolls to try to get a favorable combination of dice "kept" on the side.
If a player rolls two 2s and two 4s on his/her first roll, and keeps all four of these dice aside, what is the probability of getting a full house (three of one value and two of another) in one of his/her next two rolls? (ie what is the probability of getting either a 2 or a 4 in one of the next two rolls?)
If a player rolls two 2s and two 4s on his/her first roll, and keeps all four of these dice aside, what is the probability of getting a full house (three of one value and two of another) in one of his/her next two rolls? (ie what is the probability of getting either a 2 or a 4 in one of the next two rolls?)
Hint: Think of the probability of NOT getting a full house.
5/9
The answer is NOT 2/3 because you cannot add probabilities. On each roll, the probability of getting a 2 or a 4 is 1/3, so therefore, the probability of not getting a 2 or a 4 is 2/3. Since the die is being rolled twice, square 2/3 to get a 4/9 probability of NOT getting a full house in two rolls. The probability of getting a full house is therefore 1 - 4/9, or 5/9. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The answer is NOT 2/3 because you cannot add probabilities. On each roll, the probability of getting a 2 or a 4 is 1/3, so therefore, the probability of not getting a 2 or a 4 is 2/3. Since the die is being rolled twice, square 2/3 to get a 4/9 probability of NOT getting a full house in two rolls. The probability of getting a full house is therefore 1 - 4/9, or 5/9. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The End Of Your Arm Riddle
This might be made into a fist
If you are not feeling calm
This is a part of your body
Thats at the end of your arm
What is it?
If you are not feeling calm
This is a part of your body
Thats at the end of your arm
What is it?
Hint:
An Absentminded Philosopher Riddle
An absentminded philosopher forgot to wind up the only clock in his house. He had no radio, television, telephone, internet, or any other means of ascertaining the time. He therefore decided to travel by foot to his friend's house, a few miles down a straight desert road. He stayed there for the night and when he came back home the following morning, he was able to set his clock to the correct time. Assuming the philosopher always walks at the same speed, how did he know the exact time upon his return? Note: this is not a trick question. The Philosopher did not bring anything to his friend's house, nor did he bring anything back with him on his trip home.
Hint: We can assume that the journey to his friend's and back took exactly the same amount of time.
He Philosopher winds the grandfather clock to a random time right before leaving, 9:00 for example. Although this is not the right time, the clock can now be used to measure elapsed time. As soon as he arrives at his friend's house, the Philosopher looks at the time on his friend's clock. Let's say the time is 7:15. He stays overnight and then, before leaving in the morning, he looks at the clock one more time. Let's say the time is now 10:15 (15 hours later). When the Philosopher arrives home, he looks at his grandfather clock. Let's say his clock reads 12:40. By subtracting the time he set it to when he left (9:00) from the current time (12:40) he knows that he has been gone for 15 hours and 40 minutes. He knows that he spent 15 hours at his friends house, so that means he spent 40 minutes walking. Since he walked at the same speed both ways, it took him 20 minutes to walk from his friend's home back to his place. So the correct time to set the clock to in this example would therefore be 10:15 (the time he left his friend's house) + 20 minutes (the time it took him to walk home) = 10:35. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Fish Wish Riddle
Hint:
The Queen And The Duke
In England, the Queen was with the duke on her way to her throne. When trying to sit down on her throne, she fell backwards. She was so embarassed so she told the duke this: "Until you see me again, you shall not tell anyone what happen to me." Back at his house, a lot of reporters her a rumor about the Queen and went to see the duke to know what happen to her. But the duke gave his word to the Queen not to reveal to anyone what happen to her. So all of the reporters gave up except one. He gave the duke a lot of money and the duke told the whole story. The next, the Queen, angry, called the duke and told him that broke his promise and told the whole story. But the duke told her that he kept his word and followed her instructions.
How can he say that he did kept his word?
How can he say that he did kept his word?
Hint:
The Queen said that: "Until you see me again you shall not reveal to anyone what happen to me." The face of the Queen is on the money. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Invisible At Night Riddle
I fly like a bird of many colors through the sky. I am made with both wood and fire but I do not burn up. You can see me clearly during the day, but I am nearly invisible at night. What am I?
Hint:
Age Of Three Daughters Riddles
I was visiting a friend one evening and remembered that he had three daughters. I asked him how old they were. The product of their ages is 72, he answered. Quizzically, I asked, Is there anything else you can tell me? Yes, he replied, the sum of their ages is equal to the number of my house. I stepped outside to see what the house number was. Upon returning inside, I said to my host, Im sorry, but I still cant figure out their ages. He responded apologetically, Im sorry, I forgot to mention that my oldest daughter likes strawberry shortcake. With this information, I was able to determine all three of their ages. How old is each daughter?
Hint:
3, 3, and 8. The only groups of 3 factors of 72 to have non-unique sums are 2 6 6 and 3 3 8 (with a sum of 14). The rest have unique sums:
2 + 2 + 18 = 22
2 + 3 + 12 = 18
2 + 4 + 9 = 15
3 + 4 + 6 = 13
The house number alone would have identified any of these groups. Since more information was required, we know the sum left the answer unknown. The presence of a single oldest child eliminates 2 6 6, leaving 3 3 8 as the only possible answer. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
2 + 2 + 18 = 22
2 + 3 + 12 = 18
2 + 4 + 9 = 15
3 + 4 + 6 = 13
The house number alone would have identified any of these groups. Since more information was required, we know the sum left the answer unknown. The presence of a single oldest child eliminates 2 6 6, leaving 3 3 8 as the only possible answer. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Vegetable Necklace
Hint:
What Has Cities Forests And Water
Hint:
Sleeping In Your Bedroom Riddle
Hint:
You will open your eyes first, then you will open the door! Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Backwards Cheese Riddle
Hint:
A Cottage Is Robbed Riddle
The neighbors testimony: "I heard a noise from my neighbors' cottage and went to their site. I look into the house, I breathed on a frozen window and saw the mess."
Why did the police arrest him?
Hint:
Windows freeze and and get covered with ice from the inside and the neighbor was breathing on them from the outside. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
A Woman Is Sitting In Her Hotel Room Riddle
Hint:
3 Gallon Jug And 5 Gallon Jug
The problem is to fill one of the jugs with exactly 4 gallons of water. How do you do it?
You've got to defuse a bomb by placing exactly 4 gallons (15 L) of water on a sensor. The problem is, you only have a 5 gallon (18.9 L) jug and a 3 gallons (11 L) jug on hand! This classic riddle, made famous in Die Hard 3.
Hint:
Fill the 5-jug up completely. There will be, of course, 5 gallons in the 5-jug. You must fill all the gallons up to the top, otherwise you don't actually know how much you have.
Use the water from the 5-jug to fill up the 3-jug. You're left with 3 gallons in the 3-jug and 2 gallons in the 5-jug.
Pour out the 3-gallon jug. You're left with nothing in the 3-jug and 2 gallons in the 5-jug.
Transfer the water from the 5-jug to the three jug. You're left with 2 gallons in the 3-jug. And nothing in the 5-jug.
Fill up the 5-jug completely. You now have 2 gallons in the 3-jug and 5 in the 5-jug. This means that there is 1 gallon (3.8 L) of space left in the 3-jug.
Use the water from the 5-jug to fill up the 3-jug. Fill up the last gallon of space in the 3-jug with the water from the 5-jug. This leaves you with 3 gallons in the 3-jug, and 4 gallons in the 5-jug.
Fill the 3-jug completely with water. You now have 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water.
Transfer this water into the 5-jug. You now have nothing in the 3-jug, and 3 gallons (11.4 L) in the 5-jug.
Re-fill the 3-jug with water. You now have 3 gallons (11.4 L) in the 3-jug and 3 gallons in the 5-jug.
Fill the 5-jug with water from your 3-jug. You now have 1 gallon (3.8 L) in the 3-jug and 5 gallons (18.9 L) in the 5-jug. This is because, in the last step, you only had 2 gallons (7.6 L) of space left over, so you could only pour 2 gallons.
Pour out the 5-jug and refill it with your 1 gallon. You now have nothing in the 3-jug and 1 gallon in the 5-jug
Fill up the 3-jug. You now have 3 gallons (11.4 L) in the 3-jug and 1 in the 5-jug.
Transfer the 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water into the 5-jug to end up with 4 gallons (15.1 L). Simply pour over your three gallons into the 5-jug, which only had 1 gallon (3.8 L) in it previously. 1+3=4, and a successfully defused bomb. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
Use the water from the 5-jug to fill up the 3-jug. You're left with 3 gallons in the 3-jug and 2 gallons in the 5-jug.
Pour out the 3-gallon jug. You're left with nothing in the 3-jug and 2 gallons in the 5-jug.
Transfer the water from the 5-jug to the three jug. You're left with 2 gallons in the 3-jug. And nothing in the 5-jug.
Fill up the 5-jug completely. You now have 2 gallons in the 3-jug and 5 in the 5-jug. This means that there is 1 gallon (3.8 L) of space left in the 3-jug.
Use the water from the 5-jug to fill up the 3-jug. Fill up the last gallon of space in the 3-jug with the water from the 5-jug. This leaves you with 3 gallons in the 3-jug, and 4 gallons in the 5-jug.
Fill the 3-jug completely with water. You now have 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water.
Transfer this water into the 5-jug. You now have nothing in the 3-jug, and 3 gallons (11.4 L) in the 5-jug.
Re-fill the 3-jug with water. You now have 3 gallons (11.4 L) in the 3-jug and 3 gallons in the 5-jug.
Fill the 5-jug with water from your 3-jug. You now have 1 gallon (3.8 L) in the 3-jug and 5 gallons (18.9 L) in the 5-jug. This is because, in the last step, you only had 2 gallons (7.6 L) of space left over, so you could only pour 2 gallons.
Pour out the 5-jug and refill it with your 1 gallon. You now have nothing in the 3-jug and 1 gallon in the 5-jug
Fill up the 3-jug. You now have 3 gallons (11.4 L) in the 3-jug and 1 in the 5-jug.
Transfer the 3 gallons (11.4 L) of water into the 5-jug to end up with 4 gallons (15.1 L). Simply pour over your three gallons into the 5-jug, which only had 1 gallon (3.8 L) in it previously. 1+3=4, and a successfully defused bomb. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
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