Hot Potato

Logic Level 1

Andrew just cooked four potatoes ( $A, B, C$ , and $D$ ) in a microwave oven without a turntable. As a result of the unevenness of the radiation inside, the potatoes came out at different temperatures. Using just his hands, Andrew gathers the following empirical evidence:

$T_A>T_B$
$T_C<T_D$
$T_B=T_D$

Which potato is the hottest?

A B C D B and D A and C

1 solution

Ivan Koswara
Apr 13, 2016

Because we're looking for the hottest potato, clearly B and C cannot be them; B is colder than A and C is colder than D.

Additionally, D has the same temperature as B, so D cannot be the hottest either. This leaves A as the hottest potato.

Moderator note:

Simple standard approach.

A simpler way to say this is that A is the only potato that has not been said to be colder than another.

Jackson.A.Roberts 2020 - 4 years, 3 months ago

Well, D is also not said to be colder than another directly; you need to combine two of the statements to imply that.

Ivan Koswara - 4 years, 3 months ago

True, but it is easy to assume that D is not the hottest.

Jackson.A.Roberts 2020 - 4 years, 3 months ago

Hot Potato

1 solution

Moderator note:

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