Max and Bob!

Logic Level 3

Max has a curious habit: when he is asked questions about his favorite number, he lies and tells the truth alternatingly . His first answer can be the truth or a lie. His friend Bob asks him the following questions:

  1. Is your favorite number less than 100?

  2. Is it prime?

  3. Does it contain the digit 4?

  4. Is it even?

  5. Is it a perfect square?

His answer is always yes. What is Max's favorite number?


The answer is 49.

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3 solutions

Saya Suka
Mar 18, 2021

Since 2 is the only even prime and it's obviously less than 100, therefore we are searching for an odd perfect square containing the digit 4 that's less than 100. The answer is 7² = 49 < 100.

Jordan Cahn
Dec 10, 2018

Let x x be Max's favorite number.

If questions 2 and 4 are both answered truthfully then x = 2 x=2 . But, if those are both true answers, 1 must be answered falsely and x 100 x\geq 100 , a contradiction.

Thus, we know that Max's answers to questions 1, 3, and 5 are true and his answers to 2 and 4 are false. So x < 100 x<100 , x x is not prime, x x contains the digit four, x x is not even, and x x is a perfect square.

The only odd square less than one hundred that contains the digit 4 is 49 \boxed{49} .

Joshua Lowrance
Dec 7, 2018

First, let us assume that Max first tells the truth. This means that the number is less than 100, but it is prime and even. The only even prime is 2, and it is less than 100. This is a contradiction, so the first statement must be a truth, and the number is less than 100. The only perfect squares under 100 than contain the digit 4 are 4, 49, and 64. However, Statement 4, which is a lie because Statement 1 is a truth, says that the number is even, which means that the number is actually odd. So Max's number is 49.

I think you mean 'Let us assume Max tells the truth first' ?

Parth Sankhe - 2 years, 6 months ago

Log in to reply

Oh yes, my bad. Thank you for catching that

Joshua Lowrance - 2 years, 6 months ago

Your second&fisrt sentences should be "First, let us assume that Max first tells lie. This means that the number is more than 100, but it is prime and even. "

Hasmik Garyaka - 2 years, 6 months ago

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