Logic riddles

interviewlogicmath

Three ants are sitting at the three corners of an equilateral triangle. Each ant starts randomly picks a direction and starts to move along the edge of the triangle. What is the probability that none of the ants collide?
So let’s think this through. The ants can only avoid a collision if they all decide to move in the same direction (either clockwise or anti-clockwise). If the ants do not pick the same direction, there will definitely be a collision. Each ant has the option to either move clockwise or anti-clockwise. There is a one in two chance that an ant decides to pick a particular direction. Using simple probability calculations, we can determine the probability of no collision. P(No collision) = P(All ants go in a clockwise direction) + P( All ants go in an anti-clockwise direction) = 0.5 * 0.5 * 0.5 + 0.5 * 0.5 * 0.5 = 0.25
73.41 %
63 votes
logicsimpleclean

Six glasses are in a row. The first three are filled with milk and the last three are empty. By moving only one glass, can you arrange them so that the full and the empty glasses alternate?
Just pour full glass of milk at 2nd position in 5th glass(empty) and keep that empty glass back at 2nd position. Then full and empty glasses are at alternate positions.
73.40 %
72 votes
interviewlogicmath

Four people need to cross a rickety bridge at night. Unfortunately, they have only one torch and the bridge is too dangerous to cross without one. The bridge is only strong enough to support two people at a time. Not all people take the same time to cross the bridge. Times for each person: 1 min, 2 mins, 7 mins and 10 mins. What is the shortest time needed for all four of them to cross the bridge?
It is 17 mins. 1 and 2 go first, then 1 comes back. Then 7 and 10 go and 2 comes back. Then 1 and 2 go again, it makes a total of 17 minutes.
73.40 %
72 votes
logicsimpleinterview

Mr. Black, Mr. Gray, and Mr. White are fighting in a truel. They each get a gun and take turns shooting at each other until only one person is left. Mr. Black, who hits his shot 1/3 of the time, gets to shoot first. Mr. Gray, who hits his shot 2/3 of the time, gets to shoot next, assuming he is still alive. Mr. White, who hits his shot all the time, shoots next, assuming he is also alive. The cycle repeats. All three competitors know one another's shooting odds. If you are Mr. Black, where should you shoot first for the highest chance of survival?
He should shoot at the ground. If Mr. Black shoots the ground, it is Mr. Gray's turn. Mr. Gray would rather shoot at Mr. White than Mr. Black, because he is better. If Mr. Gray kills Mr. White, it is just Mr. Black and Mr. Gray left, giving Mr. Black a fair chance of winning. If Mr. Gray does not kill Mr. White, it is Mr. White's turn. He would rather shoot at Mr. Gray and will definitely kill him. Even though it is now Mr. Black against Mr. White, Mr. Black has a better chance of winning than before.
73.37 %
94 votes
logicclever

A sign on the barber's door says "I shave only those who do not shave themselves." Does the barber shave himself?
There is no answer, it's a paradox. It cannot be made to work. Search: "Barber paradox"
73.31 %
49 votes
logicmath

What is the smallest number, that can be expressed as the sum of the cubes of two different sets of numbers?
Hardy-Ramanujan discovered 1729 as a magic number. Why 1729 is a magic number? 10^3 + 9^3 = 1729 and 12^3 + 1^3 = 1729 Taxicab number Ta(2)
73.31 %
85 votes
logicclean

An archeologist claims he found a Roman coin dated 46 B.C. in Egypt. How much should Louvre Museum pay for the coin? Note: Roman coins can really be found in Egypt
Nothing. That coin is as phony as a three dollar bill. In 46 B.C., they wouldn't have known how many years before Christ it was.
73.31 %
85 votes