A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
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A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
Harvard students get near-perfect SAT scores. These are smart, smart kids. So they shouldn't have trouble with a simple logic question, right?
Try the following puzzle:
A bat and ball cost $1.10.
The bat costs one dollar more than the ball.
How much does the ball cost?
Many thousands of university students have answered the bat-and-ball puzzle, and the results are shocking.
More than 50% of students at Harvard, MIT, and Princeton gave the intuitive—incorrect—answer. At less selective universities, the rate of demonstrable failure to check was in excess of 80%.
Behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman's 2011 book, "Thinking, Fast And Slow," posits we have an intuitive mental system and a logical mental system, and we often use the wrong one at the wrong time.
Many people are prone to place too much faith in their intuitions. They apparently find cognitive effort at least mildly unpleasant and avoid it as much as possible.
FULL STORY
Try the following puzzle:
A bat and ball cost $1.10.
The bat costs one dollar more than the ball.
How much does the ball cost?
Many thousands of university students have answered the bat-and-ball puzzle, and the results are shocking.
More than 50% of students at Harvard, MIT, and Princeton gave the intuitive—incorrect—answer. At less selective universities, the rate of demonstrable failure to check was in excess of 80%.
Behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman's 2011 book, "Thinking, Fast And Slow," posits we have an intuitive mental system and a logical mental system, and we often use the wrong one at the wrong time.
Many people are prone to place too much faith in their intuitions. They apparently find cognitive effort at least mildly unpleasant and avoid it as much as possible.
FULL STORY
A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out; however, it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. ART BELL
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Re: A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
Far Left education at work again........... They must be so proud!!!!!!!!!
There you go man, keep as cool as you can. Face piles and piles of trials with smiles. It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave. And keep on thinking free. (Moody Blues)
Beam Me Up Scotty
"Far Left" & "Education"? Good luck with thatkbot wrote:Far Left education at work again........... They must be so proud!!!!!!!!!
A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out; however, it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. ART BELL
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Re: Beam Me Up Scotty
"Education"/ "indoctrination"..... you say tomato, I say tamahto.........Riddick wrote:"Far Left" & "Education"? Good luck with thatkbot wrote:Far Left education at work again........... They must be so proud!!!!!!!!!
There you go man, keep as cool as you can. Face piles and piles of trials with smiles. It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave. And keep on thinking free. (Moody Blues)
Re: A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
Judging by the on the campus radio and TV student interviews, the Ivy League students would have trouble blowing their noses.
Step 1: Get A Tissue Or Handkerchief
fos wrote:Judging by the on the campus radio and TV student interviews, the Ivy League students would have trouble blowing their noses.
How to Blow Your Nose In 9 Easy Steps (With Pictures)
A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out; however, it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. ART BELL
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Re: A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
For those who don't want to click on the link:
"You probably answered 10¢. That's what most Harvard students answered.
But the real answer is 5¢.
Behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman explains why most people get this wrong:
A number came to your mind. The number, of course, is 10: 10¢. The distinctive mark of this easy puzzle is that it evokes an answer that is intuitive, appealing, and wrong. Do the math, and you will see. If the ball costs 10¢, then the total cost will be $1.20 (10¢ for the ball and $1.10 for the bat), not $1.10. The correct answer is 5¢. It is safe to assume that the intuitive answer also came to the mind of those who ended up with the correct number—they somehow managed to resist the intuition...."
I read this over and over and I still don't get it. This is why I always hated Word Problems.
"You probably answered 10¢. That's what most Harvard students answered.
But the real answer is 5¢.
Behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman explains why most people get this wrong:
A number came to your mind. The number, of course, is 10: 10¢. The distinctive mark of this easy puzzle is that it evokes an answer that is intuitive, appealing, and wrong. Do the math, and you will see. If the ball costs 10¢, then the total cost will be $1.20 (10¢ for the ball and $1.10 for the bat), not $1.10. The correct answer is 5¢. It is safe to assume that the intuitive answer also came to the mind of those who ended up with the correct number—they somehow managed to resist the intuition...."
I read this over and over and I still don't get it. This is why I always hated Word Problems.
"When they tell you not to Panic that's when you run!"
Re: A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
For those who don't want to click on the link:
"You probably answered 10¢. That's what most Harvard students answered.
But the real answer is 5¢.
Behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman explains why most people get this wrong:
A number came to your mind. The number, of course, is 10: 10¢. The distinctive mark of this easy puzzle is that it evokes an answer that is intuitive, appealing, and wrong. Do the math, and you will see. If the ball costs 10¢, then the total cost will be $1.20 (10¢ for the ball and $1.10 for the bat), not $1.10. The correct answer is 5¢. It is safe to assume that the intuitive answer also came to the mind of those who ended up with the correct number—they somehow managed to resist the intuition...."
I read this over and over and I still don't get it. This is why I always hated Word Problems.
"You probably answered 10¢. That's what most Harvard students answered.
But the real answer is 5¢.
Behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman explains why most people get this wrong:
A number came to your mind. The number, of course, is 10: 10¢. The distinctive mark of this easy puzzle is that it evokes an answer that is intuitive, appealing, and wrong. Do the math, and you will see. If the ball costs 10¢, then the total cost will be $1.20 (10¢ for the ball and $1.10 for the bat), not $1.10. The correct answer is 5¢. It is safe to assume that the intuitive answer also came to the mind of those who ended up with the correct number—they somehow managed to resist the intuition...."
I read this over and over and I still don't get it. This is why I always hated Word Problems.
"When they tell you not to Panic that's when you run!"
Re: A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
Maybe this will help
Let x = cost of bat
Let y = cost of ball
x = y + 1.00
x + y = 1.10
Solve for x and y:
y + 1.00 + y = 1.10
y + y = 1.10 - 1.00
2y = 0.10 -> y = 0.05
x = 0.05 + 1.00 -> x = 1.05
A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out; however, it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. ART BELL
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Re: A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
That's even more confusing
Why do you have y + 1.00 + y = 1.10 The cost of the ball...y...twice?
There's one count them 1 ONE bat, there's 1 count them ONE Ball
But you make it look like there's 2 balls...
Bat + Ball = $1.10
Bat = $1.00
How much is Ball?
1.10 - 1.00 = 0.10
I have in my purse $1.10 I spend $1.00 on candy. How much money is still in my purse?
Why do you have y + 1.00 + y = 1.10 The cost of the ball...y...twice?
There's one count them 1 ONE bat, there's 1 count them ONE Ball
But you make it look like there's 2 balls...
Bat + Ball = $1.10
Bat = $1.00
How much is Ball?
1.10 - 1.00 = 0.10
I have in my purse $1.10 I spend $1.00 on candy. How much money is still in my purse?
"When they tell you not to Panic that's when you run!"
Re: A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
It's algebraic
If x = y + 1.00, & x + y = 1.10, then y + 1.00 + y = 1.10
A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out; however, it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. ART BELL
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Re: A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
Ah, there's the rub. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball.
Bat = Ball + $1.00
If the bat cost $1.00 then the ball would cost nothing!
A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out; however, it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. ART BELL
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Re: A Simple Riddle Most Harvard, Princeton & MIT Students Can't Solve
I......HATED......Algebra
And I don't think I ever use it.
Now, give me Plane Geometry. It's authentic, it's real, with it's angles and shapes.
A circle is a circle is a circle....a square is a square is always a square!
I use geometry when shooting pool.
Curling uses Geometry
Astronomy uses geometry
When I go to a store to buy a ball and bat, and I say I just want to buy the ball, for 5 cents and the store owner says, no, the ball is 10 cents, is he or she really gonna accept Algebra? Or is the store owner gonna tell me to stick my Algebra...
OK, I get it, some folks love Math, you love Math of all kinds....go for it, have fun.
I'll stick with practical Math like Geometry....
And I don't think I ever use it.
Now, give me Plane Geometry. It's authentic, it's real, with it's angles and shapes.
A circle is a circle is a circle....a square is a square is always a square!
I use geometry when shooting pool.
Curling uses Geometry
Astronomy uses geometry
When I go to a store to buy a ball and bat, and I say I just want to buy the ball, for 5 cents and the store owner says, no, the ball is 10 cents, is he or she really gonna accept Algebra? Or is the store owner gonna tell me to stick my Algebra...
OK, I get it, some folks love Math, you love Math of all kinds....go for it, have fun.
I'll stick with practical Math like Geometry....
"When they tell you not to Panic that's when you run!"
A Vegetative State Of Mind
I'm good with math but do I *love* math? Not really. It's a tool. It serves a purpose. For instance, I can balance a check book. I can also clean a toilet! Yet there's a lotta things I enjoy doing more than either.
Like writing. It may not serve a purpose any more than I like to do it but hey, that's good enough for me. And I think I'm pretty good at it, though some may not agree. That may be 'cause I'm not always about spoon-feeding.
I'd sooner spin stuff that makes folks have to think. Yes I know that's a painfully difficult task for all too many folks nowadays - Then again, why think when someone else can do the thinking for you? -
IMO in-large the ed system today isn't about teaching critical thinking skills. It's all about creating as many cabbage head kids as possible.
Like writing. It may not serve a purpose any more than I like to do it but hey, that's good enough for me. And I think I'm pretty good at it, though some may not agree. That may be 'cause I'm not always about spoon-feeding.
I'd sooner spin stuff that makes folks have to think. Yes I know that's a painfully difficult task for all too many folks nowadays - Then again, why think when someone else can do the thinking for you? -
IMO in-large the ed system today isn't about teaching critical thinking skills. It's all about creating as many cabbage head kids as possible.
Last edited by Riddick on 02-09-2019 02:26 AM, edited 3 times in total.
A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out; however, it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. ART BELL
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Something To Think About
Who's the biggest cabbage head in Congress right now?
[HINT: Her initials are AOC]
[HINT: Her initials are AOC]
A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out; however, it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. ART BELL
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump
Everything Woke turns to -Donald Trump