RE: Puzzle : Old one..

-----Original Message-----
From: Ganesan, Swaminathan
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 8:57 AM
To: All of them
Subject: RE: Puzzle : Old one..

How come no one here questioned this...

I have a related problem for which I would love to know the answer...

Many a time, we employ what is called "inductive reasoning" in finding out patterns in sequences like this... But as you know, such reasoning is not accurate, or should I say definite... Sundu's problem is one example... My question is how good inductive reasoning is... How far can we rely on this...

For instance, there can be more than one plausible reasoning that can be given for such sequences and series.. That is, they fit into more than one pattern (upto the finite number of terms that they have been expressed)

In fact, I have seen puzzles where usually everyone agrees on a particular pattern and says that is the "right answer"... Until later, when some crooked brain gives an equally plausible alternative answer... I am pondering on how good such questions are to go into aptitude tests (be it for a company or for a university) when the answers are not accurate... It follows rather immediately that people who set such question papers better say, "give a next number for this sequence and a plausible reasoning" and value the answers based on that rather than saying "give THE next number for this sequence"...

Hmm.. This is probably worth a blog post... Will do when I have time...

-----Original Message-----
From: Sundar Ramakrishnan [mailto:sundar.ramakrishnan@somewhere.com]
Sent: Friday, October 29, 2004 9:04 PM
To: All of us
Subject: Re: Puzzle : Old one..


the correct answer is 3..
reasoning:
12 - Twelve - 6 letters
6 - Six - 3 letters
10 - Ten - 3 letters

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 09:36:31 -0700, Ganesan, Swaminathan wrote:
> No. of divisors other than the number itself for 12 = 5 (isnt it?)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lavanya Kannan [mailto:lavanya.kannan@somewhere.com]
> Sent: Friday, October 29, 2004 1:29 AM
> To: All of us
> Subject: Re: Puzzle : Old one..
>
> is it 3? : number of divisors other than the number itself ?
>
> Why is this a puzzle?
>
> On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 13:18:26 +0530, Sundar Ramakrishnan
>
>
> wrote:
> > No. Wrong answer.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Sundu
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 09:19:03 +0200, Jose, Ann Catherine
> > wrote:
> > > Is it 2?
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Ann Catherine Jose.
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Sundar Ramakrishnan [mailto:sundar@somewhere.com]
> > > Sent: Friday, October 29, 2004 12:14 PM
> > > To: All of us
> > > Subject: Puzzle : Old one..
> > >
> > > A man wanted to enter an exclusive club but did not know the
> > > password that was required. He waited by the door and listened. A
> > > club member knocked on the door and the doorman said, "12." The
> > > member replied, "6 " and was let in. A second member came to the
> > > door and the doorman said, "6". The member replied "3", and was
> > > let in. The man thought he had heard enough and walked up to the
> > > door. The doorman said ,"10" and the man replied, "5." But he was
> > > not let in. What should have he said?
> > >
> >
>