Painted Forehead Problem - Page 2

DasLeben · #11 09-07-2005, 05:33 AM

My question: If they're all wise, then why don't they all stop laughing at the same time?

stigmata · #12 09-07-2005, 05:46 AM

I guess its kind of a nice analogy for reading people and mulit-level thinking, i.e. thinking about what he is thinking about me and acting on that information etc....

Not a particularly interesting problem in itself, but the anology works.

sexdrugsmoney · #13 09-07-2005, 05:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
http://mathproblems.info/group1.html

Problem 5

While three wise men are asleep under a tree a mischievous boy paints their foreheads red. Later they all wake up at the same time and all three start laughing. After several minutes suddenly one stops. Why did he stop?

A. Because he realized none of them was as smart as they thought they were.

[/ QUOTE ]

TStoneMBD · #14 09-07-2005, 12:54 PM

ok but what does this have to do with improving ones game? btw this thread should probably be moved to another forum even though it seems practical here.

jakethebake · #15 09-07-2005, 02:32 PM

Why stop with the forehead? Why not the whole face?

OrangeKing · #16 09-08-2005, 05:42 PM

I haven't looked at the answer yet, but I presume the answer is the following:

Our wise man (#1) realized that the only way both of the other two men could keep laughing was if his forehead was painted as well. If wise man #2 saw that #3 had paint, and was laughing, but #1 did not, he would realize he had paint on his forehead. #3 could do the same, but again - only if #1 didn't have paint.

Since neither has stopped laughing, it eventually becomes apparent that he has paint on his forehead too. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]