The 100 Seat Airplane
People are waiting in line to board a 100-seat airplane. Steve is the first person in the line. He gets on the plane but suddenly can't remember what his seat number is, so he picks a seat at random. After that, each person who gets on the plane sits in their assigned seat if it's available, otherwise they will choose an open seat at random to sit in.
The flight is full and you are last in line. What is the probability that you get to sit in your assigned seat?
The flight is full and you are last in line. What is the probability that you get to sit in your assigned seat?
Hint: You don't need to use complex math to solve this riddle. Consider these two questions:
What happens if somebody sits in your seat?
What happens if somebody sits in Steve's assigned seat?
The correct answer is 1/2.
The chase that the first person in line takes your seat is equal to the chance that he takes his own seat. If he takes his own seat initially then you have a 100% chance of sitting in your seat, if he takes your seat you have a 0 percent chance. Now after the first person has picked a seat, the second person will enter the plan and, if the first person has sat in his seat, he will pick randomly, and again, the chance that he picks your seat is equal to the chance he picks someone your seat. The motion will continue until someone sits in the first persons seat, at this point the remaining people standing in line which each be able to sit in their own seats. Well how does that probability look in equation form? (2/100) * 50% + (98/100) * ( (2/98) * 50% + (96/98) * ( (2/96) * (50%) +... (2/2) * (50%) ) ) This expansion reduces to 1/2.
An easy way to see this is trying the problem with a 3 or 4 person scenario (pretend its a car). Both scenarios have probabilities of 1/2. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The chase that the first person in line takes your seat is equal to the chance that he takes his own seat. If he takes his own seat initially then you have a 100% chance of sitting in your seat, if he takes your seat you have a 0 percent chance. Now after the first person has picked a seat, the second person will enter the plan and, if the first person has sat in his seat, he will pick randomly, and again, the chance that he picks your seat is equal to the chance he picks someone your seat. The motion will continue until someone sits in the first persons seat, at this point the remaining people standing in line which each be able to sit in their own seats. Well how does that probability look in equation form? (2/100) * 50% + (98/100) * ( (2/98) * 50% + (96/98) * ( (2/96) * (50%) +... (2/2) * (50%) ) ) This expansion reduces to 1/2.
An easy way to see this is trying the problem with a 3 or 4 person scenario (pretend its a car). Both scenarios have probabilities of 1/2. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
The Sturdy Feet Of Man
I cannot stand on my two feet;
I need help from one who can.
But in motion, they're superior
To the sturdy feet of man.
What am I?
I need help from one who can.
But in motion, they're superior
To the sturdy feet of man.
What am I?
Hint:
Falling Bicycle Riddle
Hint:
Throwing Rum Riddle
What is the easiest way to throw a bottle of Rum, have it stop, and completely reverse direction after traveling a short distance?
Hint:
Susan's Headstand Riddle
Hint:
Making Your Day Brighter Riddle
Hint:
Goes But Never Grows Riddle
Hint:
How Do You Survive Riddle
Your father is a scientist who has invented a red pill which, if eaten with 1 blue pill which he has invented, will grant immortality. The night he invents it, he gives you 2 red and 2 blue pills just in case one of them is lost or substandard. He also warns you that an overdose will cause the opposite effect and kill you instead.
You put the pills in your pocket and leave his lab for home. On the way home, you are abducted by aliens who blindfold you and throw you into a singularity. At this point, you remember the pills your father gave you. You take them out (you can move and have enough oxygen in space for a short time), but realize that you can't tell the red pill from the blue pill. Even if you take off your blindfold, you can't see anything due to your proximity to the black hole. Given the circumstances, how do you successfully eat 1 red and 1 blue pill and survive?
You put the pills in your pocket and leave his lab for home. On the way home, you are abducted by aliens who blindfold you and throw you into a singularity. At this point, you remember the pills your father gave you. You take them out (you can move and have enough oxygen in space for a short time), but realize that you can't tell the red pill from the blue pill. Even if you take off your blindfold, you can't see anything due to your proximity to the black hole. Given the circumstances, how do you successfully eat 1 red and 1 blue pill and survive?
Hint:
Crawling Snail Riddle
A snail was at the bottom of a pole 30 feet tall. It could crawl up 3 feet in one day, but at night it slipped back 2 feet. How long did it take to reach the top of the pole?
Hint:
Twenty-eight days - at the end of the 28th day, it reached the top of the pole, and once on top, of course, it did not slip back down. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
The Bus Driver's Name Riddle
You're the bus driver. Pay attention and listen real close. There will be a test after this. There's a bus driver who makes it first stop picks up 5 passengers. The second stop the bus driver picks up 10 more passengers and 12 gets off. The third stop the bus driver picks up 8 more passengers and 25 gets off. The final stop everybody gets off. How old is the bus driver? How tall is the bus driver? What's the bus drivers name.
Hint:
DNA Riddle
Hint:
Jasmine At The Market Place
Hint:
3 Princesses Riddle
Three princes were in love with a princess. the king said the prince who could win a made-up game would marry the princess. The rules were simple: the princes were to stand on boxes in different corners of a room while the princess was in the middle. They were not allowed to use ANYTHING and were not allowed to walk on the carpet. The game was won by touching the princess' hand. One of princes found out how to touch the princess' hand and married her. How did he do it?
Hint:
He called the princess and told her to walk to him and to touch his hand. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Five Letter Words Riddle
Hint:
Murderous Comedy Riddle
Hint:
Add Your Riddle Here
Have some tricky riddles of your own? Leave them below for our users to try and solve.