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top 200 commentsshow 500

[–]PrawnWonton 712 points713 points ago

sorry, this has been archived and can no longer be voted on

The only winning move is not to play

[–]cmetzger4 446 points447 points ago

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If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.

[–]ImNotMichaelCera 161 points162 points ago

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You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill.

[–]garbaxo 134 points135 points ago

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I will choose the path that's clear, I will choose

[–]shillbert 138 points139 points ago

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FREE WILLLLL da da da da-da da da da da da daaaa

[–]Punkgoblin 74 points75 points ago

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Rush is my favorite thing about Canada.

[–]ShakespierceBrosnan 32 points33 points ago

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Canada is my favorite thing about Rush. And Limelight.

[–]unifawn 57 points58 points ago

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These comments filled me with a rush of joy and solidarity.

[–]fancy_pance 2 points3 points ago

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:breakdown:bass groove:.. GUITAR SOLO!

[–]drluv23 66 points67 points ago

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How about a nice game of chess?

[–]daviator88 88 points89 points ago

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No, I want to play global thermonuclear war.

[–]brak_power 27 points28 points ago

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Fine.

[–]hebruise 2 points3 points ago

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Q. What is the primary goal? A. To win the game.

[–]drluv23 2 points3 points ago

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The only winning move is not to play.

[–]Inane_Asylum 759 points760 points ago

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Doesn't read question

chooses C

[–]ringl-bells 944 points945 points ago

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B is the new C.

[–]meatwad1987 143 points144 points ago

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nobody likes A

[–]rshappy 137 points138 points ago

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Don't get me started about D.

[–]DaftDraft 276 points277 points ago

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Choosing A,B,C, or D is so mainstream. I wrote in E

[–]busche916 250 points251 points ago

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E.verybody walk the dinosaur

[–]sudsomatic 43 points44 points ago

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Sounds like a wicked dance move

[–]anadate 21 points22 points ago

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So the dinosaur replaced the lawnmower?

[–]ProfessorHoneycutt 132 points133 points ago

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Yep, because nobody liked

Open the door
Get on the floor
ROOO-GUH-GUH-GUH-GUH-GUH-GUH-GUH
MEEERRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNNN
GUH-GUH-GUH-GUH

[–]DaftProdigy 14 points15 points ago

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It's like I'm actually listening to a chainsaw, not a lawnmower.

[–]thegimboid 2 points3 points ago

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To be fair, a dinosaur could also sound like that.

[–]Dr_Herp_Derp 2 points3 points ago

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So what is it now? Step out of cave

Look out into space

Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaawr

Meteor!

[–]deadmoo 2 points3 points ago

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[–]ginja_ninja 8 points9 points ago

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A is the mixup that you use on the tricky questions to make people doubt their gut feeling.

[–]limitedfunction 159 points160 points ago

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Shouldn't William Turner be on the black pearl?

[–]fantasticdamage 91 points92 points ago

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Nope. He should be on the Flying Dutchman.

[–]cbeck287 46 points47 points ago

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The Flying Dutchman is also an item on the "secret menu" at In-N-Out.

The more you know.

[–]flying_dutchman 35 points36 points ago

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My ears are burning.

[–]Soapbox 37 points38 points ago

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I'm more interested why answer C is 60% than about the actual problem... I get the paradox with the 25% and 50%, but how would you get 60%? Why not have 0% there? Would make more sense.

[–][deleted] ago

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[deleted]

[–][deleted] 189 points190 points ago

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60% of the time I get this answer wrong all the time.

[–][deleted] 667 points668 points ago*

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There's no right answer. That's not really a mind fuck, it's just a question that doesn't have a right answer listed.

What is the answer to this question

A) B

B) C

C) A

D) B

same sort of thing.

Edit:

If you guys like this kind of thing, check out the self-referential aptitude test

[–]MarshingMyMellow 42 points43 points ago

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[–]thegnome54 11 points12 points ago

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Did you notice what the answers spell?

Jim Propp made this exam as part of a party, with the answer fitting into a series of other puzzles as a clue. One of my all-time favorite logic puzzles, created for a party. What a badass.

[–]MxM111 57 points58 points ago

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So the correct answer would be "multiple choice does not contain the correct answer, thus chance of choosing it is 0%", right? But what if we add 0% to the choices:

A) 25%

B) 50%

C) 0%

D) 25%

Now what?

[–]dmwit 76 points77 points ago

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This question has no self-consistent answer, which is a common problem with logics that allow self-reference.

[–]fupduck 238 points239 points ago

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This. It's a great mindfuck, but really makes no sense. It's not that there is no answer because of probability issues, it's that there is no answer as thepicsnail illustrates... or...

Blue?

A) 10

B) Seventy

C) 10

D) Prince Edward Island and Chewbacca

[–]tytotabuki 326 points327 points ago

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D, It has to be D.

[–]Pertz 58 points59 points ago

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I used the process of elimination as well. The first three answers don't make sense so it has to be PEI and Chewie.

[–]tytotabuki 25 points26 points ago

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I felt it was more common sense. Once you wade through all the calculus the only answer that is even close is D.

[–]NothingsShocking 20 points21 points ago

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If a Pie is in the Sky, then where's cake?

A distant meadow.

Correct!

Plastic is to megawatt as unicorn is to ...

Goulash.

Correct!

[–]barcelonaKIZ 28 points29 points ago

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I google imaged Prince Edward Island and Chewbacca and found Hans Island

[–]vaelroth 15 points16 points ago

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That island looks remarkably like the Millenium Falcon.

[–]lampshade14 31 points32 points ago

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That's no island..

[–]TheMojoPriest 2 points3 points ago

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It's a space station

[–]fanboat 57 points58 points ago

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But it's self-referential and paradoxical, if A/D are right, then B is right (and they're wrong), and if B is right then B is wrong. Also, trick question, Prince Edward Island is Chewbacca, after shaving.

[–]Copse_Of_Trees 9 points10 points ago

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It's a Catch-22.

[–]acemnorsuvwxz 27 points28 points ago

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What's the best way for the state to create jobs in Rhode Island?

A) Lower the business tax rates
B) Lessen state regulations
C) Tax breaks for small businesses
D) All of the above

[–]Im_more_ignorant 43 points44 points ago

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You did it wrong. If this were a question on an economics exam it would read:

What's the best way for the state to create jobs?

A) Decrease regulations on businesses

B) Have less regulations on small businesses

C) Introduce a plan to decrease business regulation algebraically over the next 10 years

D) Create new jobs

[–]whitmell 14 points15 points ago

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Reading "D" actually made me laugh

[–]davy_crockett 4 points5 points ago

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I think you're mixing free-market, neoclassical economics with Economics in general. Being an economist doesn't mean you are necessarily anti-regulation.

[–]SHFT 19 points20 points ago

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2nd graders would all get that one right. Econ majors? not so much.

[–]FamousMortimer 10 points11 points ago

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Doesn't that mean the answer is 0%?

[–]Socrates17 243 points244 points ago

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THE ANSWER IS 0!

"If you choose an answer to this question (from the given options) what is the chance you will be correct?"

As none of the answers are satisfactory, then one cannot choose one that is correct, thus 0.

QED.

[–]sobe86 39 points40 points ago*

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Alright, but what happens if we change option C to 0% ? I don't think there is an answer, the question is self referencing and ill defined. It's just a slightly more complicated version of, 'Is the answer to this question no?' See this page for more detail.

[–]ksulli10 49 points50 points ago

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Let's say you change option C to 0% and consider it correct. The moment you consider it correct, that means you have 1 out of 4 options that are correct... which means the answer is 25%, which means the answer is not 0%, which means the answer is not C.

[–]BasicEcon101 27 points28 points ago

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If this and dividing by zero got in a fight, who would win?

[–]spartacus- 26 points27 points ago

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0% was one of the options last time this was posted, which made it much more interesting.

[–]kippig 85 points86 points ago

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CONTRADICTION: 0! = 1 =/= 0.

[–]Osthato 41 points42 points ago

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OBJECTION!

[–]redoxion 81 points82 points ago

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Prostitution rests...

[–]Wildtails 2 points3 points ago

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It better not, I paid good money!

[–]JibberGXP 10 points11 points ago

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Denied. Please, Mr. Osthato, allow the defendant to finish his statement.

[–]spikeyfreak 7 points8 points ago

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0 isn't an option. If you ignore that it's a multiple choice question it kind of ruins it.

[–]beerncheese 93 points94 points ago

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"the chance that you are correct" is zero. Whether you choose a, b, c, or d, you are wrong.

[–]SarahMakesYouStrong 33 points34 points ago

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can you explain this more to me? The question never tells us that the correct answer isn't in there so how can you know they're all wrong?

Assuming there is a correct answer then the answer is 25%, but 25% is on there twice so your odds are 50%, which means the answer that must be selected is B, but B is only on there once so the answer is 25%.

Not A or D, but 25%.

This makes logical sense to me but I would never fight any one over the answer and since so many people are calling "0", I really need help understanding it.

[–]SurprizFortuneCookie 42 points43 points ago*

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Basically there's no condition for correctness. It asks "What is the chance you will be correct?" Correct about what? If it instead asked "What is the chance that you will choose the probability of choosing A" then we would have a basis for correctness: The answer would be B. Does that make sense?

Here, another redditor wrote this down the page, it's similar to what I'm saying:

There's no right answer. That's not really a mind fuck, it's just a question that doesn't have a right answer listed.

What is the answer to this question
A) B
B) C
C) A
D) B

same sort of thing.

Me again: It's basically just nonsensical. It's like asking why is a square round? How many apples do you have if you like apples? True or False, Where is the U.S. located?

Edit:

Okay, so other people have a different way of looking at this. They make the assumption that there is a correct answer. Basically what they're saying is the chance of choosing a correct answer is 25%, which would make it A or D, but since that's two possible answers, the chance of choosing them is 50%, which is B, but since that's only one answer, it becomes A or D again, so there's no chance to choose the correct answer, so the answer is 0% (which further complicates things, because if C were 0% instead of 60%, you would have a 25% chance of choosing it. I prefer to stick with my premise that the question doesn't make sense.)

[–]HelloAnnyong 38 points39 points ago

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Sorry, but you're missing the point. The answer is indeed zero, but for the following reason:

We can eliminate each answer A-D.

  • Suppose the probability is 25%. Then choosing at random, you would choose the correct answer 50% of the time, since 25% is listed twice. A contradiction.
  • Suppose the probability is 50%. Then choosing at random, you would choose the correct answer 25% of the time, since 50% is listed only once. A contradiction.
  • Suppose the answer is 60%. By a similar argument as the two cases above, "60%" only appears once so your probability of success in this case is 25%.

Therefore, you have a 0% probability of selecting the correct answer.

--Pure Mathematics graduate

[–]Elbowgreez 2 points3 points ago

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Wow. This is the best that I've seen anyone explain this so far and still everyone seems to be misunderstanding you. I'm a little shocked that the fact that the question has no context whatsoever isn't the top comment. Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that you're not speaking into an abyss, and give you a metaphorical slap on the back.

[–]MoonShark 12 points13 points ago

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Answer: Indeterminate. Sometimes that's what you get in math.

[–]anexanhume 1104 points1105 points ago*

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Correct answer is Potato.

[–]omgwtfbbqpanda 295 points296 points ago

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Hodor

[–]Fridgeburn 31 points32 points ago

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It is known.

[–][deleted] 17 points18 points ago

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It is known.

[–]nostalgic_blast 58 points59 points ago

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Said Hodor

[–]El_Con_Conquistador 69 points70 points ago

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"Hodor" Bran agreed.

[–]BlindMildred 6 points7 points ago

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It is known.

[–]hypermark 2 points3 points ago

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You know nothing.

[–]hypermark 2 points3 points ago

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You know nothing.

[–]hypermark 2 points3 points ago

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You know nothing.

[–]lichpants 15 points16 points ago

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That's not even his name!

[–]rmxz 193 points194 points ago*

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0% works too.

The correct answer is 0%; and indeed no-one randomly guessing gets it right.

It's no different than a question:

   Q.  What's 1+1
       A. 3
       B. 4
       C. 5
       D. 6

which also doesn't give you the right answer among the choices.

[–]MxM111 167 points168 points ago

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So lets modify the problem and give the following choices:

a) 25%

b) 50%

c) 0%

d) 25%

Now what?

[–]Frigorific 531 points532 points ago*

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Now the question is logically inconsistent.

Let's represent this problem as a series of logical statements.

A <-> AxorBxorCxorD (since if A is only correct if one of B or C is correct)

B <-> (A ^ D)xor(A ^ C) ... for all combinations of two solutions (since if any two answers are both true then B is true)

C <-> !A ^ !B ^ !C ^ !D (since C is only true if all problems are incorrect)

D <-> AxorBxorCxorD (since D can only be true if one solution is true)

From this we see that C is a contradiction so C cannot be true.

A and D cannot be true since for one to be correct they would both be correct and contradict themselves.

B cannot be true since any combination of two solutions would make B be true thus making three correct solutions and contradicting itself.

Since C and B must both be false and A and D cannot be true for A and D then A and D can only be false.

However all solutions being false makes C true.

Thus the logical system is inconsistent. The problem itself is incorrect.

(edit: This only holds for an even distribution of the probability of selecting each answer. If all distributions are allowed then there are infinitely many solutions.)

[–]R3dn3ck96 52 points53 points ago

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I have no idea what that means and I still upvoted.

[–]ipaddy 2 points3 points ago

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I have no idea what it meant and I still quibbled with his methodology.

[–]cannabist 56 points57 points ago

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FUCK YEAH LOGIC!

[–]Swipecat 4 points5 points ago

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Nope. If you're allowed to give answers that aren't in the multiple choice, then you might randomly select 0%, in which case the chance that you might select 0% is higher than 0%, so that's wrong.

[–]rimo 7 points8 points ago

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Ooh, a new puzzle. Hmm, if I randomly pick A then B becomes true. Which in turn makes all other 3 false, making C true. Dammit, I suck at this.

[–]sirin3 34 points35 points ago

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42 %

[–]russell_m 912 points913 points ago

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[–]Asian_NoGoodMath____ 776 points777 points ago

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ಠ_ಠ

[–]AmosKeto 785 points786 points ago

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Shouldn't that be -_- ?

[–]HitTheGymAndLawyerUp 612 points613 points ago

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ﺟ_ﺟ

[–]Def-Star 38 points39 points ago

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ـيـ_ ـيـ

[–]wheresmyhouse 126 points127 points ago

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[](/)>_<

[–]they_call_me_dewey 191 points192 points ago

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IMPOSSIBRU!!

[–]TheNr24 2 points3 points ago

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 ( ^∀^)

[–]Sharrakor 195 points196 points ago

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(-(-(-(-_-)-)-)-)

They're coming to get you.

[–]meatball91 120 points121 points ago

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[–]TheLaughing_Man 88 points89 points ago

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[–]ApplaudedPrism 47 points48 points ago

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MOTHER OF FUCK.

[–]Cyberus 23 points24 points ago

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(╬ ಠ益ಠ)

[–]EthanPDX 22 points23 points ago

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Supplies!

[–]Leafar3456 71 points72 points ago

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thats wasist

[–]blagoonga123 64 points65 points ago

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Elmer Fudd mixes up R's and W's.

Asians mix up L's and R's.

The more you know.

[–]DJPalefaceSD 23 points24 points ago

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Riar.

[–]somedaypilot 8 points9 points ago

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[–]pixelharmony 20 points21 points ago

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¬_¬

[–]naked_guy_says 234 points235 points ago

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[–]brawfx 10 points11 points ago

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Hooo damn. I haven't laughed that hard in a while.

[–]Borster 341 points342 points ago

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Downsvote.

[–]webby_mc_webberson 52 points53 points ago

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Which ironically is always an upvote.

[–]downs-of-disapproval 77 points78 points ago

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ಠ___________________________________________ಠ

[–]kloober 37 points38 points ago

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Disapproval whale?

[–]ttblue 2 points3 points ago

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The look of Disapprowhale.

[–]TheOnlyWayToBeSure 9 points10 points ago

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ಠ -

[–]DinoJr14 73 points74 points ago

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This may be the only image on the internet that I laugh at every time. Many 'you laugh you lose' threads have been lost. I can't help it, and I know I'm a terrible person, it's just so goddamn funny.

I'm sorry, too.

[–]bernlin2000 7 points8 points ago

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Lol...everyone has different tastes I guess. Gives me a chuckle, but I could easily win a contest if this was the only image :-) Now this image...hopefully lol.

[–]Dawgishly 42 points43 points ago

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"You raugh you ruse" is the preferred nomenclature, Dude!

[–]SuicydKing 2 points3 points ago

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He didn't build the railroads, Walter. He peed on my potato.

[–]ajsvin 48 points49 points ago

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the chinaman is not the issue here

[–]Piratiko 7 points8 points ago

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I said 'brown'. :(

[–]qp0n[!] 78 points79 points ago*

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Finally, something my math degree is good for! Before I ruin it, I want to state my admiration for this brainteaser. Simple yet elegant in its ability to play on the human race's addiction to correlative logic.

Sadly, the riddle has nothing to do with statistics or math... but is rather a lesson in subjective semantics (assuming that at least one of the options is the correct answer of course). All you have to do is ask the question, "If the correct answer were (a), then would (d) also be correct?"... at which point you've solved it & there is no need for a reply.

It's a bit tricky to explain but here-goes:

  • If (d) is considered incorrect if (a) is correct, then the values of each answer are irrelevant since the "25%" didn't make (a) correct... which means you have a 25% chance of getting the correct answer, but the correct answer has nothing to do with the value. (b) or (c) could just as easily be the correct answer with the same probability. In other words, the answer wouldn't be 25%, 50% or 60% ... rather the answer is simply (a).

Conversely

  • If (d) is also a correct answer if (a) is correct, then there can be no value which corresponds to the probability of randomly selecting the right answer, and thus the correct answer is again arbitrary irrelevant of its value.

Simply put, there is no possible scenario where the correct answer's value matches the probability of randomly getting it right; so the value does not define the correct answer only the person who created the question does.

If there are two correct answers then the probability of getting it correct is 50%, however there is only one option for 50% therefor either 25% or 60% is also a value of a correct answer and thus again the value does not define the answer.

The same can be repeated for if there were 3 or 4 hypothetically correct answers, where since there is no '75%' or '100%' value listed the values once again cannot define the answer.

[the best way to think of it is to replace all the values with anything else, e.g. colors, and repeat the question; once you accept that the correct answer is arbitrary, the response of probabilities is irrelevant]

[–]dwightmoody 10 points11 points ago

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...correct answer is arbitrary...

There's no reason to assume the correct answer is one of the choices you are being offered. Given what the values are, there is no way to get a correct answer by randomly picking one of them. So the correct answer to the question is 0%.

[–]thecsb 2 points3 points ago

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I chose to break down in a Bayesian way. . .

Assumption 1: Choose each choice (a)-(d) with equi-probability.

Since (a) and (d) have the same value, the outcome is same if we chose (a) or if we choose (d). Therefore p(answering correctly|(a) and (d) is correct) = 50%

For the remaining two: p(correct | (b) is correct) = 25% and p(correct | (c) is correct) = 25%.

Now the tricky part. . .How do you map the 25%, 50% and 60% to being the correct answers? Assume that the correct answer has been mapped to (a) - (d) at random.

Then marginalize out, and you get 1/3.

[–]dwightmoody 2 points3 points ago

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I don't understand how one can state "the values don't define the answer" when the question defines the correct answer as a value.

[–]Archonium 59 points60 points ago

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Can someone mathematically inclined explain this?

[–]ManDragonA 334 points335 points ago*

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It's a self-referencing paradox - there is NO correct answer to the question.

If the answer was 25%, there would be a 50% chance to guess it. If the answer was 50%, there would be a 25% chance to guess it.

Very nice mind-fuck.

Edit : The solution is to cross out C and D, and then pick B :-)

[–][deleted] 40 points41 points ago

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there is NO correct answer to the question.

Then, what if we change 60% with 0%?

[–]quaste 17 points18 points ago*

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Nope.

If we change 60 with 50, B and C would be right.

EDIT: OK, I see your point now, well played.

[–][deleted] 35 points36 points ago

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Um, thanks but it wasn't a yes or no question. :) I mean if we change 60% with 0%, "there is no correct answer to the question" reply also becomes self referential because 0% is also in the choices.

[–]magicbullets 8 points9 points ago

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Well explained ManDragonA. Saved my brain from figuring it out incorrectly.

[–]Hacksaures 21 points22 points ago

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Wouldn't it be 1/3? Or 33.3333333?

[–]Mr_Winston_Wolf 10 points11 points ago

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That's what I was thinking.

[–]Archonium 2 points3 points ago

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Thank you for the clarification!

[–]BPsandman84 9 points10 points ago

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It's a trick question. In basic form, it's to see how people would analyze this problem, but here it's clearly fucking with people.

[–]afkobaya 52 points53 points ago

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Well this should be eas- FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

[–]viper098 12 points13 points ago

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[–]edwin23 80 points81 points ago

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[–]socsa 6 points7 points ago

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There is no question, so the probability of being correct is indeterminate. The mindfuck only works if you accept the implied premise that one of the answers below must be correct. When you hear people say an argument is "begging the question" - this is what they mean.

[–]IAteAllTheTwix 102 points103 points ago

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50/50.. Either you get it right or you don't.

[–]shizitz 24 points25 points ago

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HA - reminded me of this daily show clip about the hadron collider.

[–]SirBastian 11 points12 points ago*

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We must look at the percent of answers that are correct.


What's the chance of getting the following question right by randomly guessing?

What is 2+2?

A. 4

B. 3

C. 2

D. 1

A is correct, B C and D are incorrect.

A. 100%

B. 75%

C. 50%

D. 25%

1/4 = 25% => D is the answer.


What's the chance of getting the following question right by randomly guessing?

What is 2+2?

A. 4

B. 3

C. 2

D. 4

A and D are correct, B and C are incorrect.

A. 100%

B. 75%

C. 50%

D. 25%

2/4 = 50% => C is the answer.


What's the chance of getting the following question right by randomly guessing?

What is the answer to the above question?

A. 25%

B. 50%

C. 60%

D. 25%

Let's say it's A, and therefore also D

Let's say it's B

Let's say it's C

A. 25%

B. 50%

C. 60%

D. 25%

then we have 2/4 = 50% => B... but we just said it's A and D. This is a contradiction.

then we have 1/4 = 25% => A and D... but we just said it's B. This is a contradiction.

then we have 1/4 = 25% => A and D... but we just said it's C. This is a contradiction.


What's the chance of getting the following question right by randomly guessing?

What is the answer to the above question?

A. 25%

B. 50%

C. 0%

D. 25%

Let's say it's A, and therefore also D

Let's say it's B

Let's say it's C

A. 25%

B. 50%

C. 0%

D. 25%

then we have 2/4 = 50% => B... but we just said it's A and D. This is a contradiction.

then we have 1/4 = 25% => A and D... but we just said it's B. This is a contradiction.

then we have 1/4 = 25% => A and D... but we just said it's C. This is a contradiction.


What's the chance of getting the following question right by randomly guessing?

What is the answer to the above question?

A. 25%

B. 50%

C. 50%

D. 25%

Let's say it's A, and therefore also D

Let's say it's B, and therefore also C

A. 25%

B. 50%

C. 50%

D. 25%

then we have 2/4 = 50% => B and C... but we just said it's A and D. This is a contradiction.

then we have 2/4 = 50% => B and C, as we answered. These must be the correct answers.


As you might notice, the only way for this question to actually have a correct answer is for the value of a given answer to match the percentage of total possible choices that answers with that value comprise . So you can have one answer that is "25%" with all others different, or two answers that are "50%", or 3 answers that are "75%", or 4 answers that are "100%". You could also have a set of options like: A. 25% B. 50% C. 50% D. 9532% which has 3 correct answers, not all of which have the same value. In the space of multiple choice questions with 4 choices, this is the only such combination.

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points ago*

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Here is what I think:

There are 4 possible answers, so give a random selection you have about 1 in 4 changes of getting it right which is 25%. But this is a test so you have to pick which answer is 25% which is A and D.

But that changes things, because you no longer haev a 1/4 shot of picking the right answer you have 2/4 chance, so it's 50%.

So B is the correct answer, but... if B is the right answer that means there is only a 1 in 4 chance of getting it right which means 25%

Recurssion...

Given the answer pool, the correct answer is 0%, because having multiple answers that are right you're thus changing the answer which leaves you with a 0% chance of getting it right.

[–]rahl404 4 points5 points ago

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[–]sockmeistr 2 points3 points ago

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Hate to break it to you, but that's actually a winking anime girl.

[–]asblue91 4 points5 points ago

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It's a completely arbitrary question so we have no way of knowing what the correct answer is. Therefore, pick any answer and there is a 25% chance that it is right. So A or D are correct because there is a 25% chance that any given letter is correct since we have no way of knowing.

[–]The_Tadpole_Bowl2 6 points7 points ago

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You don't flinch at all and answer 60%. Then David Bowie lets you proceed to the next stage of the labyrinth.

[–]Canilearnbubblebeam 5 points6 points ago

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Aren't they all wrong? Shouldn't it be 33%?

[–]n-space 202 points203 points ago

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Note that "at random" is not the same thing as "at random with each option being equally likely".

Okay, so I create a probability distribution by picking a number between 1 and 1000 with each being equally likely. Then I choose an answer based on the number.

  • A: 1-125
  • B: 126-375
  • C: 376-875
  • D: 876-1000

That gives 12.5% for each of A and D, 25% for B, and 50% for C. Thus it is 25% likely that I choose "25%" as my answer, 25% likely I choose "50%" as my answer and 50% likely I choose "60%" as my answer. Hence with this distribution I am right 25% of the time.

And I can generate similar distributions to get 50% and 60% as well.

[–]philosoraptocopter 35 points36 points ago

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FUCKING NERD GET HIM!

[–]basically 19 points20 points ago

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please draw your username

[–]philosoraptocopter 39 points40 points ago*

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this took a lot longer than it needed to

*Can't remember the redditor's name who gave me the idea originally, tried to reproduce it.

[–]ShanduCanDo 39 points40 points ago

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But you're influencing the results, right? Meaning it's not random?

Surely there's a difference between "a random system" and "a system with elements of randomness".

[–]DoesNotTalkMuch 105 points106 points ago

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He's still technically correct, random is not the same as fair.

[–]Doctor_Bombay 14 points15 points ago

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On a similar note, random is also not the same as fear.

[–]lucozade33 59 points60 points ago

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He's still technically correct, the best kind of correct.

[–]bubbal 12 points13 points ago

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There's a difference between "random" and "randomly chosen from a uniform distribution".

[–]brict 29 points30 points ago

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No. Lets say I have a 4 sided die with two ones, one two and one three, would that not be a random die? No, of course its random. You can randomly choose from any distribution, you might assume that all events are equally likely, but it isn't stated in the question, and thus it cannot be assumed.

[–]Probably_Need_Loans 17 points18 points ago

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This is correct.

It's a discussion of semantics.

The semantics of the common usage of random and the word random when used in a mathematical context are different, and that's what throws people off.

[–]Darktidemage 5 points6 points ago

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he's not influencing the results.

[–]highcaffeinecode 18 points19 points ago*

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Not sure why you're generating anything... It's a paradox as the answer is circular.

Each option has a 25% chance of being chosen at random. Same as if you were to roll a die, each side has a 1 in 6 chance of being on the top.

So, that means A and D would be correct.

However since there's 2 answers of 25%, that's actually a 50% chance of 25% being chosen, meaning the correct answer is really B (50%).

So, since there is only a 25% chance that B would be chosen, we end up back at the start in an infinite loop.

Edit: Clarity. Also, I'm no mathematician, I'm a programmer, so I could be wrong...

[–]jetRink 13 points14 points ago

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He's found an ambiguity in the wording. He's interpreting 'random' differently from how you are.

[–]dontmindmeimdrunk 2 points3 points ago

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Read the first sentence of his comment.

[–]Psychobeans 13 points14 points ago

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Could the people downvoting this guy please explain why this doesn't correctly solve the riddle?

[–]fanboat 21 points22 points ago

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Even distribution is typically implied, but this guy is right. This is the kind of answer that would get marked wrong in high school, but get extra credit in college. Usually.

[–]y0urfuture 11 points12 points ago

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Change 60% to 0% and the impossibility goes even deeper...

[–]ZeroSobel 2 points3 points ago

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Thought this myself. It's so good.

[–]fulltiltsmoker 2 points3 points ago

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Yep, that's how it should be done.

[–]DrKaota 13 points14 points ago

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Great you made my robot explode, You sir owe me one robot.

[–]wotfisticuffs 3 points4 points ago

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[–][deleted] 3 points4 points ago

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Some how this feels relevant...

[–]Ntopper 3 points4 points ago

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YOU BROKE MATH YOU BASTERD

[–][deleted] ago

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[deleted]

[–]laag4 3 points4 points ago

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None of the answers are correct. If you choose A you're not correct, because that would imply that there are no other 25% answers, which isn't true. If you choose B, then it would imply that A would be correct (or at least two of the four answers would have to be 50% not just 1), but it isn't, so B is wrong. If you choose C you're just wrong, and D is just like choosing A. Thus, by simple logic, you cannot be correct no matter what you answer. The question is a trick question.

[–][deleted] 7 points8 points ago

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Isn't it still 25% because technically your choice is still between A,B,C,D and values assigned are inconsequential?

[–]violetharpie 11 points12 points ago

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As someone who isn't really mathematically inclined, I was pleased to be presented with a relatively easy question. I then proceeded to cry in a corner.

[–]IAmNotYourBoss 5 points6 points ago

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42

[–]TangledPenis 2 points3 points ago

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75%. Because, fuck you.

[–]lurker2918 2 points3 points ago

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that's numberwang!

[–]beyron 2 points3 points ago

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50%

[–]kevinlivin 2 points3 points ago

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This is really 2 questions combined with 2 different answers. 1) what is chance of choosing any one answer? A: 25% what is probability of choosing 25% as the answer? A: 50%.

[–]hammycakes 2 points3 points ago

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the answer is 50%.

the B option to the question which the chance question is referring to is also 50%, but that is coincidental.

[–]rizla7 2 points3 points ago

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your probabilities are 25,25,50,50

(2(25)+2(50))/4=150/4=37.5

37.5%, but since that value doesn't exist, your probability is 0%, already stated.

edit: since 0/4=0

and the joke is on you :) lrn2grd7mathPLSkthx. i hope your maths teachers aren't reading this.

[–]backstab 2 points3 points ago

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The "answers" are part of the question, not answers to the question.

[–]trythisdance 2 points3 points ago

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when in doubt, choose c

[–]tehflambo 2 points3 points ago

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Please stop posting this question. It's not some clever paradox, it's just a question without an answer. Not because choosing an answer changes the answer, but because no criteria are provided for determining whether or not an answer is correct.

[–]ejrod 2 points3 points ago

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25.....50....wait....25

no wait...

[–]schnoebbles 2 points3 points ago*

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It would be 25% because there are 4 choices. Just because you guessed correctly, or incorrectly, doesn't change the percentage.

Edit: Noticed the second choice of 25% my bad.

[–]bfir3 2 points3 points ago

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There are 3 choices. You have a 33.33% chance of being correct.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points ago

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The correct answer is 33.3333% because there you only have 3 options.

[–]Peaceandallthatjazz 2 points3 points ago

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B. To pick one at random is 25% and two of four answers are 25%…. so the answer is 50%. B.

[–]Tomtom041890 2 points3 points ago

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C) 60%

When in doubt, pick C.

[–]mearvk 2 points3 points ago*

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Depends on what the correct answer is.

1) Assume 25% is correct: you have a 50% chance of guessing it.

2) Assume 50% is correct: you have a 25% chance of guessing it.

3) Assume 60% is correct: you have a 25% chance of guessing it.

Since we don't know what the correct answer is we have to average our chances over all possibilities. If you have (50% + 25% + 25%)/3 possible scenarios you get (100/3) or 33.3% chance of being right.

Edit: Think of it this way: there are only really three choices so your chances of guessing the right answer is 1 in 3.

[–]Anders_A 5 points6 points ago

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E) 20%