The Perfect Reasoning

Logic Level 2

Three cards, each with a positive integer written on it, are lying face-down on a table. Casey, Stacy, and Tracy are told that:

(a) the numbers are all different,
(b) they sum to 13 and
(c) they are in increasing order, left to right.

First, Casey looks at the number on the leftmost card and says, "I don't have enough information to determine the other two numbers."

Then Tracy looks at the number on the rightmost card and says, "I don't have enough information to determine the other two numbers."

Finally, Stacy looks at the number on the middle card and says, "I don't have enough information to determine the other two numbers."

Assume that each person knows that the other two reason perfectly and hears their comments. What number is on the middle card?


The answer is 4.

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1 solution

Ivan Koswara
Oct 26, 2015

Let the numbers be a , b , c a,b,c from left to right.

First, note that a 3 a \le 3 ; if a 4 a \ge 4 , then a + b + c 4 + 5 + 6 = 15 a+b+c \ge 4+5+6 = 15 , contradiction. Likewise, c 6 c \ge 6 , otherwise a + b + c 3 + 4 + 5 = 12 a+b+c \le 3+4+5 = 12 , and c 10 c \le 10 , otherwise a + b + c 1 + 2 + 11 = 14 a+b+c \ge 1+2+11 = 14 .

Casey's statement means a 3 a \neq 3 (otherwise Casey would be able to deduce that ( a , b , c ) = ( 3 , 4 , 6 ) (a,b,c) = (3,4,6) ).

Tracy's statement on its own means c 9 , 10 c \neq 9, 10 (otherwise Tracy would be able to deduce that ( a , b , c ) = ( 1 , 3 , 9 ) , ( 1 , 2 , 10 ) (a,b,c) = (1,3,9), (1,2,10) respectively). Since Tracy's statement follows Casey's, we also know c 6 c \neq 6 ; if c = 6 c = 6 then ( a , b , c ) = ( 2 , 5 , 6 ) , ( 3 , 4 , 6 ) (a,b,c) = (2,5,6), (3,4,6) , and since Casey says a 3 a \neq 3 , Tracy would know that ( a , b , c ) = ( 2 , 5 , 6 ) (a,b,c) = (2,5,6) .

The remaining possibilities are a = 1 , 2 a = 1,2 with c = 7 , 8 c = 7,8 , giving ( a , b , c ) = ( 1 , 5 , 7 ) , ( 1 , 4 , 8 ) , ( 2 , 4 , 7 ) , ( 2 , 3 , 8 ) (a,b,c) = (1,5,7), (1,4,8), (2,4,7), (2,3,8) . Since Stacy can't figure out the numbers even by knowing the value of b b , we know that there must be more than one possible ( a , b , c ) (a,b,c) ; the only satisfying b b is 4 \boxed{4} .

Moderator note:

That is an extremely efficient way of bounding the values of a a and c c . It's always best to reduce the number of case checking to a bare minimum. Well done!

Excellent Logic Question, Enjoyed a lot solving it.

Kushagra Sahni - 5 years, 7 months ago

Miracle! Thank you.

Dev Rajyaguru - 5 years, 7 months ago

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