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
4th Of July Riddle
Hint:
Out On A Boat Riddle
If you go out on a boat
And stay there until its late
What is it that you might catch
With a rod, hook and some bait?
And stay there until its late
What is it that you might catch
With a rod, hook and some bait?
Hint:
Add Up To 100 Riddle
With the numbers 123456789, make them add up to 100. They must stay in the same order. You can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Remember, they have to stay in the same order!
Hint:
The Left Side Of The Cake
Hint:
Trying To Swim Riddle
Hint:
Left On A Bus Riddle
One night, a king and a queen got on a bus with no bus driver. The king and a queen got off the bus. Who is left on the bus?
Hint:
Swimming Mummy's Riddle
Hint:
100 Widgets Riddle
If it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 widgets, how long would it take 100 machines to make 100 widgets?
Hint:
It would take 5 minutes. Each machine takes 5 minutes to make its widget. Therefore, each of the 100 machines would have finished making its widget in 5 minutes. Did you answer this riddle correctly?
YES NO
YES NO
Mail Never Clinking Riddle
Hint:
The Drowning Hipster Riddle
Hint:
100 Meter Sprint Riddle
Hint:
100 Lawyers Riddle
Hint:
Less Than 100 Riddle
Find a number less than 100 that is increased by one-fifth of its value when its digits are reversed.
Hint:
I Will Die Riddle
Hint:
Add Your Riddle Here
Have some tricky riddles of your own? Leave them below for our users to try and solve.