Pick the Right Number

To win, the number you picked has to be closer to the drawn number than your friend's pick.

What is the number?


The answer is 36.

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2 solutions

Guiseppi Butel
Jul 25, 2014

Bob's probability is 2/3 to be twice Albert's of 1/3. Therefore he has to have 50 winning numbers as opposed to Albert's 25.

Albert's winners have to be from 1-25. Bob's from 26-75.

Albert's numbers includes 10 numbers above his 15 therefore Bob's pick should be the 10th number greater starting at 26, which is 35.

How Albert's probability is 1/3?

Apurv Rajput - 6 years, 10 months ago

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Albert's winning numbers are from 1 to 25.

25/75 = 1/3

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 10 months ago

the correct answer should be 36 25 is equally far apart from 15 and 35 which will result in error.

Lam Yet Sin - 6 years, 10 months ago

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I believe that you are correct. If 25 was picked then their numbers will be equidistant from it. The correct answer should be 36. I can't find a way to edit the answer.

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 10 months ago

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There should be a little "pencil" link in the upper right corner of your solution. Clicking that will allow you to edit.

Nicolas Bryenton - 6 years, 10 months ago

I have updated the answer to 36 on July 26th.

Thanks!

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 10 months ago

Does the picture have anything to do with the question? For some reason I thought that the number had to be on the bingo card in order for them to win

Faith DeMonte - 6 years, 10 months ago

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No, it doesn't.

Guiseppi Butel - 6 years, 10 months ago
Kartik Prabhu
Aug 10, 2014

Slightly different solution attempt, but broadly the same logic.

We realise that if we pick a number below 15, then Albert will have a much larger chance of winning. Therefore, our number, x > 15 x > 15 .

If x > 15 x > 15 , then Bob will the first 15 numbers, as well as half the numbers between x x and 15.

This can be expressed as 15 + x 15 + 1 2 15 + \frac{x - 15 + 1}{2} .

Meanwhile, I will win on all the numbers between 75 and x x , as well as half the numbers between 75 and x x .

This can be expressed as ( 75 x + 1 ) + x 15 + 1 2 (75 - x + 1) + \frac{x - 15 + 1}{2} .

From this we can form an equation:

( 75 x + 1 ) + x 15 + 1 2 (75 - x + 1) + \frac{x - 15 + 1}{2} = 2 ( 15 + x 15 + 1 2 ) 2(15 + \frac{x - 15 + 1}{2})

76 x + 0.5 x 8 = 30 + x 16 76 - x + 0.5x - 8 = 30 + x - 16

x x + 0.5 x = 8 76 + 30 16 - x -x + 0.5x = 8 - 76 + 30 - 16

1.5 x = 54 -1.5x = -54

x = 36 x = \boxed{36}

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