Mental Nuts-- Can You Crack 'em?

[Pete Zicato]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

In order to dig half a hole, he first has to dig a quarter of a hole.
In order to dig a quarter of a hole, he first has to dig an eighth of a hole.
In order to dig eighth of a hole, he first has to dig 1/16 of a hole.
.
.
In order to dig 1/N of a hole, he first has to dig 1/2xN of a hole.

IOW, he can not even leave home, let alone find a shovel, or walk to the work site.

A local college was looking for a way to help students decide between math and engineering majors. They headed the students to the large gym and lined up the girls on one side and the boys on the other. Then they told the students that they could walk half the distance to the other side every 15 seconds. When they reached their opposite number they could give them a kiss.

The mathematicians left knowing they would never reach the center. The engineers stayed knowing they would get close enough for practical purposes.

[HungLikeJesus]

The man runs around the tree while the squirrel digs the half a-hole.

[footfootfoot]

or half a whole

[infinite monkey]

City employees, eh?

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

City employees, eh?

No, Bank of America executives.

[infinite monkey]

He goes around A Hole. Get it? A hole?

[HungLikeJesus]

Did we ever get correct answers for #36 and 37?

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

Did we ever get correct answers for #36 and 37?

No, but you did get a correct answer to #21 though no one seemed to like it.
Also I am still waiting for an answer to the riddle
here are more answers:

[jimhelm]

What if the hole digger was a shitman?

[HungLikeJesus]

I don't understand what the answer for #37 says. Is the answer 24 eggs?

Last weekend I bought a chemistry book like that - it's full of errors.

[Pete Zicato]

HLJ is correct. The book answer is in error.

I found a simple explanation elsewhere.

Given the initial statement:

3 hens can lay 3 eggs in 1.5 days
therefore
6 hens can lay 6 eggs in 1.5 days
and
6 hens can lay 4 eggs in 1 day
therefore
6 hens can lay 24 eggs in 6 days (already we see the error)
and
6 hens can lay 28 eggs in 7 days

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

I don't understand what the answer for #37 says. Is the answer 24 eggs?

Last weekend I bought a chemistry book like that - it's full of errors.

The 7th day is zero eggs, it is not until the half aste the 7th day are any eggs laid. Similar to the one where you don't count your wages until you've worked, you don't count your eggs until they are laid.

[Pete Zicato]

I don't buy it foot. It's cheating. It doesn't say "on the seventh day". It says "in seven days". Anyone reading that would clearly see it as a duration. Otherwise the original "in a day and a half" would have a different meaning.

Pfui.

[HungLikeJesus]

But wouldn't they reach each other after the first iteration (or were the girls chained to the wall)?

[Pete Zicato]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

But wouldn't they reach each other after the first iteration (or were the girls chained to the wall)?

Oops, should have said half the distance to the center of the gym.