Posted on

Annoying Math Puzzle #1

Why EVERYONE is wrong about this post. First, I will let you off the hook by saying I got it wrong at first. I love math but I am not particularly skilled at math.

I don’t particularly like this puzzles because they are almost always not about the math but are more about distraction and attention span. My attention span is particularly low so I usually get them wrong.

Here is the text posted with the image

```Deals a deal! I lost to XXX XXX
What's the total of the last column? Post your response only, not your math. If you guess and answer wrong, you have to re-post the same and to whom you lost to.

First here are the values:

• Man = 5
• Weight = 2
• Shoe = 5

First, let’s look at the standard “correct” answer:

```10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 x  2 = 43
----
106```

To get to this answer you have to notice that the man is wearing shoes and weights. The rest is following PEMDAS.

A good friend of mine pointed out that the instructions simple state to Total the last column. As the instructions do not explicitly state to perform operations on the fourth row we end up with this.

```10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 x  2 =  ?
----
63 + ?```

I took it as tep further to be even more techincally correct :

Incomplete Answers ( last row only ):

5 + 19 x 2 = 43

Not noticing the Shoes or the Weights on the Man

and also not noticing the instructions to Total the last Column

`        5 + 5 * 2 = 15`

Using Two Weights on last line

```      10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 +  2 = 26```
```      10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 + 5 + 5 = 20
4 + 4 + 5 = 13
5 + 5 x 4 = 40
-----
103```

Missing the Multiplication on Last :Line

```      10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 +  2 = 26
----
89```

And using mistaking one weight for two.

```      10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 +  4 = 26
----
93```

Re-moving presumption of addition, considering each item as a number.

```Shoe = 3.16227766, ( 3.16227766 X 3.16227766 ) = 10
Person = 5
Lace = 1.414213562

3.16227766 + ( 1.414213562 X 5 X 1.414213562 / 3.16227766 ) x 2 = 72.486832952
63 + 9.486832952 =  72.486832952```

Please feel free to comment below as to why I am wrong or if you have an even more convoluted answer.

2 thoughts on “Annoying Math Puzzle #1”

1. I think the question wasn’t written mathematically correct Iris Imamura. Okay, if we’re doing the math of each row and figure out the values for each item. I don’t see how the man in the last row is 19… it don’t logically make mathematical sense. He ought to be 23.

And for the fourth row (last row) the man in the second column has on weight bands as well as holding a weight band in each hand and shoes on each feet. So I equated him to being 23, not 19. Thus for the final row, I got 51.
Adding the final column, the total
63 + 51 = 114

2. It appears that the question just asked to find the total of the last column. In mathematics, rows are going across from left to right. Columns are from top to bottom.

We aren’t asked to do the math for each row. But to do the math for the last column.

There are a total of four columns. And a total of four rows. In the fourth row, when we look at the dude, he’s holding a shoelace in each hand, or weight thing, shoes on each feet, and he has wristbands on each hand. I don’t think the man is 19, but 23.
The content structure of the passage is a discussion of a math puzzle, where the main question is about the total of the last column in a series of equations. The author presents multiple interpretations and solutions to the puzzle, and there are comments from readers providing their own solutions.
multiple_questions_with_answers

the passage contains multiple interpretations of the same mathematical question, each with a different answer. the main question is "what's the total of the last column?" and various answers are provided, including 43, 63, 89, 93, 72.486832952, and 114.
Given a text passage, determine:
    1. If it contains a mathematical question (including word problems or calculations)
    2. If an answer to that mathematical question is provided in the text

First, describe the content structure you found in 1-2 sentences.

Then provide your analysis in the following format:
TYPE: <one of the following values>
- NO_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION_WITH_ANSWER
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS_WITH_ANSWERS
system
Posted on

Annoying Math Puzzle #1

Why EVERYONE is wrong about this post. First, I will let you off the hook by saying I got it wrong at first. I love math but I am not particularly skilled at math.

I don’t particularly like this puzzles because they are almost always not about the math but are more about distraction and attention span. My attention span is particularly low so I usually get them wrong.

Here is the text posted with the image

```Deals a deal! I lost to XXX XXX
What's the total of the last column? Post your response only, not your math. If you guess and answer wrong, you have to re-post the same and to whom you lost to.

First here are the values:

• Man = 5
• Weight = 2
• Shoe = 5

First, let’s look at the standard “correct” answer:

```10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 x  2 = 43
----
106```

To get to this answer you have to notice that the man is wearing shoes and weights. The rest is following PEMDAS.

A good friend of mine pointed out that the instructions simple state to Total the last column. As the instructions do not explicitly state to perform operations on the fourth row we end up with this.

```10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 x  2 =  ?
----
63 + ?```

I took it as tep further to be even more techincally correct :

Incomplete Answers ( last row only ):

5 + 19 x 2 = 43

Not noticing the Shoes or the Weights on the Man

and also not noticing the instructions to Total the last Column

`        5 + 5 * 2 = 15`

Using Two Weights on last line

```      10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 +  2 = 26```
```      10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 + 5 + 5 = 20
4 + 4 + 5 = 13
5 + 5 x 4 = 40
-----
103```

Missing the Multiplication on Last :Line

```      10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 +  2 = 26
----
89```

And using mistaking one weight for two.

```      10 + 10 + 10 = 30
5 +  5 +  5 = 20
4 +  4 +  5 = 13
5 + 19 +  4 = 26
----
93```

Re-moving presumption of addition, considering each item as a number.

```Shoe = 3.16227766, ( 3.16227766 X 3.16227766 ) = 10
Person = 5
Lace = 1.414213562

3.16227766 + ( 1.414213562 X 5 X 1.414213562 / 3.16227766 ) x 2 = 72.486832952
63 + 9.486832952 =  72.486832952```

Please feel free to comment below as to why I am wrong or if you have an even more convoluted answer.

2 thoughts on “Annoying Math Puzzle #1”

1. I think the question wasn’t written mathematically correct Iris Imamura. Okay, if we’re doing the math of each row and figure out the values for each item. I don’t see how the man in the last row is 19… it don’t logically make mathematical sense. He ought to be 23.

And for the fourth row (last row) the man in the second column has on weight bands as well as holding a weight band in each hand and shoes on each feet. So I equated him to being 23, not 19. Thus for the final row, I got 51.
Adding the final column, the total
63 + 51 = 114

2. It appears that the question just asked to find the total of the last column. In mathematics, rows are going across from left to right. Columns are from top to bottom.

We aren’t asked to do the math for each row. But to do the math for the last column.

There are a total of four columns. And a total of four rows. In the fourth row, when we look at the dude, he’s holding a shoelace in each hand, or weight thing, shoes on each feet, and he has wristbands on each hand. I don’t think the man is 19, but 23.
user
The content structure of the passage is a discussion of a math puzzle, where the main question is about the total of the last column in a series of equations. The author presents multiple interpretations and solutions to the puzzle, and there are comments from readers providing their own solutions.

TYPE: MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS_WITH_ANSWERS

The passage contains multiple interpretations of the same mathematical question, each with a different answer. The main question is "What's the total of the last column?" and various answers are provided, including 43, 63, 89, 93, 72.486832952, and 114.