Can you solve this maths problem from Singapore?

CaliforniaDream · 15-04-2015 06:53PM #1

http://www.theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/2015/apr/13/can-you-solve-the-singapore-primary-maths-question-that-went-viral

This maths problem is on a test in a school in Singapore. It's intended for 15 year olds.
Can you figure it out without cheating? It took me about 20 mins but I got it. You just need to figure out where to start then it's easy.

MonkeyTennis · 15-04-2015 06:54PM

Yep.. Cheryl is an a$$hole.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 15-04-2015 06:56PM

July 16

CaliforniaDream · 15-04-2015 06:57PM

MonkeyTennis wrote: »

Yep.. Cheryl is an a$$hole.

See I'm female so I empathised with Cheryl for 20 mins before I got that answer.

Muir · 15-04-2015 06:59PM

July 16th

seventeen sheep · 15-04-2015 07:01PM

Why is Cheryl being such a tool? Either tell them or don't tell them. Why do they even care enough to go to the effort of trying to work it out? Gobsh1tes the three of them.

Fr_Dougal · 15-04-2015 07:06PM

CaliforniaDream wrote: »

http://www.theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/2015/apr/13/can-you-solve-the-singapore-primary-maths-question-that-went-viral

This maths problem is on a test in a school in Singapore. It's intended for 15 year olds.
Can you figure it out without cheating? It took me about 20 mins but I got it. You just need to figure out where to start then it's easy.

What about Kony? He hasn't gone away you know.

Junkyard Tom · 15-04-2015 07:10PM

The Cunning Linguist wrote: »

July 16

Muir wrote: »

July 16th

Well done on the googling and lack of spoilers lads.

Sheep Lover · 15-04-2015 07:10PM

Next Tuesday.

Muir · 15-04-2015 07:14PM

Junkyard Cat wrote: »

Well done on the googling and lack of spoilers lads.

I worked it out when I first seen it a couple of days ago, and I didn't see a need for spoilers because in any other discussion on it pretty much every date has been guessed and debated. Thought the same would probably happen here. Didn't post up a solution yet because I thought that was more of a spoiler.

Mister Vain · 15-04-2015 07:15PM

Me is stupider than a Singaporean ten year old.

Turtwig · 15-04-2015 07:17PM

It's not a maths problem. It's a standard deductive logic puzzle. Anyone who's played professor layton will be very familiar with these.

I hate the way people are thinking they're beneath solving it. Most people who solved it or could understand the solution are able to do so because they've more familiarity with these types of problems than others do. Hell, any programmer worth their salt should be able to understand the solution.

Rough Sleeper · 15-04-2015 07:35PM

It looks gold and white to me.

Turtyturd · 15-04-2015 07:41PM

Mister Vain wrote: »

Me is stupider than a Singaporean ten year old.

Thats unpossible.

Donnielighto · 15-04-2015 07:59PM

Simple enough when you know the approach, which is why it shouldnt be assumed that singaporeans are geniouses wrt maths but that they are taught in a more real world manner. Although this is early math (read logic)

Junkyard Tom · 15-04-2015 08:01PM

Turtwig wrote: »

It's not a maths problem.

When I was reading it I was thinking 'this isn't maths' - that confusion and the very idea that it was a maths problem made me averse to meaningfully tackling the question.

I think I have a touch of pseudo-dyscalculia.

murpho999 · 15-04-2015 08:05PM

Junkyard Cat wrote: »

Well done on the googling and lack of spoilers lads.

How do you know you didn't work it out and why would you need spoilers as they were asked a question?

Don't get spoilers at all as I think people just have to look at them.

smash · 15-04-2015 08:16PM

Mister Vain wrote: »

Me is stupider than a Singaporean ten year old.

Don't beat yourself up...

It now appears that the question was not intended for year 5 primary schoolkids but in fact for 14/15-year olds. According to Singapore news agency Mothership.sg the question was part of a Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiad test paper, which is aimed at the best 40 per cent of students.

You're only not smarter that 40% of Singaporean 14 year olds

15-04-2015 08:19PM

if the house two doors to the left has a yellow roof and the house one door to the right has a blue door and *snore*

smash · 15-04-2015 08:21PM

bluewolf wrote: »

if the house two doors to the left has a yellow roof and the house one door to the right has a blue door and *snore*

Green!?

Vowel Movement · 15-04-2015 08:27PM

Will someone splain the answer. I can't work google:(

job seeker · 15-04-2015 08:29PM

CaliforniaDream wrote: »

http://www.theguardian.com/science/alexs-adventures-in-numberland/2015/apr/13/can-you-solve-the-singapore-primary-maths-question-that-went-viral

This maths problem is on a test in a school in Singapore. It's intended for 15 year olds.
Can you figure it out without cheating? It took me about 20 mins but I got it. You just need to figure out where to start then it's easy.

Thats nothing, can you solve this?

the_monkey · 15-04-2015 08:47PM

May 19, 19 is the only unique number ....

d2ww · 15-04-2015 08:48PM

A knows the Month, B knows the day.
1. If B does know, it can't be the 18th or 19th as they are unique. Therefore, it can't be June 17th as A would know.
2. with june 17th eliminated that leaves Aug 17th as unique which B realises.
3. So it's Aug 17th.

Or in others words, how did people get July 16th?

the_monkey · 15-04-2015 08:50PM

load of bollox, it's not a maths puzzle

its a tricky semantics load of shyte...

Liminz · 15-04-2015 08:51PM

Got it in 6 mins. Clever question. I'd imagine in exam settings though it could be more difficult given your mind would be checking the clock.

d2ww · 15-04-2015 08:51PM

the_monkey wrote: »

May 19, 19 is the only unique number ....

That doesn't tally with the first line "but I know that B does not know too"

Liminz · 15-04-2015 08:54PM

Vowel Movement wrote: »

Will someone splain the answer. I can't work google:(

after each statement look at it from both perspectives. rule out what both of them could not have been told, then you come to the only answer consistent with all statements.

Each party hears the previous statement and can deduce from that and rule out possibilities.

Liminz · 15-04-2015 08:58PM

the_monkey wrote: »

load of bollox, it's not a maths puzzle

its a tricky semantics load of shyte...

Semantics it certainly isn't , it's logic.

Muir · 15-04-2015 08:59PM

d2ww wrote: »

A knows the Month, B knows the day.
1. If B does know, it can't be the 18th or 19th as they are unique. Therefore, it can't be June 17th as A would know.
2. with june 17th eliminated that leaves Aug 17th as unique which B realises.
3. So it's Aug 17th.

Or in others words, how did people get July 16th?

I'll put my solution in spoilers

A states that B does not know. The only way A can know this is that A knows it is not May or June (the only two months with unique dates).

A making this statement means B know realises that May and June are ruled out, and B now knows the answer. This means it can't be either of the 14s because B couldn't know then.

Finally, A now knows. This means that it can't be August as there would still be two options remaining, so it's July 16th.

d2ww · 15-04-2015 09:58PM

Muir wrote: »

I'll put my solution in spoilers

A states that B does not know. The only way A can know this is that A knows it is not May or June (the only two months with unique dates).

A making this statement means B know realises that May and June are ruled out, and B now knows the answer. This means it can't be either of the 14s because B couldn't know then.

Finally, A now knows. This means that it can't be August as there would still be two options remaining, so it's July 16th.

Thanks, but my reading of the first line is that only the 18th and 19th are eliminated since B would know straight off. Also, it can't be June since A knowing that 18th and 19th are out, still doesn't know. So how did you eliminate May?

Can you solve this maths problem from Singapore?

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