MIT Test

Discussion in 'Sidewalk Cafe' started by KevinBlackwood, Mar 26, 2006.

  1. Think you are as smart as the boys from MIT?

    This Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) was developed by a professor at MIT. Supposedly it measures how good you will be at managing money, but I think it also has parallels to predicting how successful you will be in gambling (evaluating EV for example).

    Here are the questions and you are supposed to take 90 seconds to answer:

    1. A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

    2. If it takes five machines five minutes to make five widgets, how long would it take 100 machines to make 100 widgets?

    3. In a lake, there is a patch of lily pads. Every day, the patch doubles in size. If it takes 48 days for the patch to cover the entire lake, how long would it take for the patch to cover half of the lake?

    If you have the time to tackle the quiz, you can email me for the answers or I will post them here in a few days (kevin@kevinblackwood.com), but please don't post your answers here because Rick Jensen might be tempted to copy your answers.
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2006
  2. Count de McArds

    Count de McArds New Member

    My answers

    Answers posted for a few minutes but deleted per Mr. Blackwood's request

    The Count
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2006
  3. toolman1

    toolman1 Active Member

    Nice little test

    Looks like something that would be on an SAT test or a pre-employment test for a computer related job. Not terribly difficult, although the 2nd question is tricky, but effectively demonstrates ones analytical and mathematical abilities. BJ tournaments being what they are, possessing both traits is very important.

    "Cognitive Reflection Test" - nice phrase!!! Wish I would have thought of it.;)
     
  4. Monkeysystem

    Monkeysystem Top Member Staff Member

    The First One

    It was the first question that almost got me. I'm accustomed to doing arithmetic in my head but this one is a high school algebra problem.
     
  5. noman

    noman Top Member

    MIT Test:

    I am waiting for elivs presley and billy graham to seriously change places and I am waiting anxiously for the answers to Mr. blackwoods MIT test, to see how I misinterperted the questions.

    And I am waiting for someone, other than me, to show that EV is the blind alley in bj play outcome.
     
  6. Joep

    Joep Active Member

    PM Me

    Noman

    PM me and I will give you the answers !!
     
  7. noman

    noman Top Member

    MIT TEST: Courtesy of K. Blackwood.

    Rookie, already "Heads me up"

    Now, I rebutted him, on (jeez, two of three) but then, I could be the misinterperter of the way the questions were assed. I'll leaves it to use two to decides, if I'm always in dementia.
     
  8. noman

    noman Top Member

    "tests"

    Okay Blackwood, Norm, Rookie, MIT MIKE(why did I include him? Just cause.) and ALL!

    Talk about "TESTS," numbers, interpertations and misinterpertations: Here's one for the ages.

    Three independet salesmen find themselves stuck in a small town during a horrendous storm. There is only one "room" available, which they willl have to share, or face the ravages of the downpour and wind, all alone. Soooooo. they bury (each) his pride, his bravado and manliness to share the room.

    The desk clerk tells them it is $30 for the room (a bargan anywhere, even more so in catastropic circumstances.) Each salesman, puts up $10 for the $30 room charge.


    After the salesmen acclimate themselves to each other, to share the room, without consternation, the brighter than an Edison Bulb, desk clerk, discovers that "he" has overcharged them by $5 dollars.

    Somehow, under normal conditions, national disasters, or special circumstances, not withstanding,that "room," only goes for $25 dollars.

    Now, figure this out: In this small town, small motel, not only is there a desk clerk, but a "BELL BOY." And the desk clerk, not being, or knowing what advantage play is, and somehow being an "honest" person, wants to refund the salesmen(of all people) their overpayment of $5 for the room. Soooooooo, the desk clerk sends the "BELL BOY" to the salesmen's room with the $5 refund.

    Well, the "Bell Boy" wasn't born yesterday, just didn't fall off the turnup truck, yadda, yadda, yadda, like the desk clerk, and is an advantage player,
    (What's he doin here?) AND figures out(MIT reject that he was), that, splitting $5 among three people would be realllllllly tough.

    Since, he didn't not only have change, but not a penny to his name. the "BELL BOY" makes an executive decision to just give the salesmen three dollars back, one dollar each, refund. And pocketed two dollars. What would the salesmen know, since they were salesmen?

    Now the question? If each salesman gave $10 to cover the room charge of $30 and got $1 each back from the "Bell Boy," making each salesman's contribution $9 dollars, making a payment of $27 to the motel (3 salesmen at $9 each) and the the "Bell BOY" pocketed $2, just to keep it simple ,that's only $29.

    What happend to the other Dollar?

    Where did that extra dollar go?

    Blowin in the wind?
     
  9. Monkeysystem

    Monkeysystem Top Member Staff Member

    Advantage Players Everywhere

    It went to the cocktail waitress (it's a really small town!). :joker:

     
  10. Joep

    Joep Active Member

    Found It

    Incorrect the actual cost of the room to the each salesman was 8.33 1/3 not 9.00 so I have found you dollar >You see 25 divided by 3 = 8.33 1/3
     
  11. rookie789

    rookie789 Active Member

    $ 8.33 actual cost?

    I have heard this before and $8.33 is not the correct answer. If each salesman paid $10.00 originally and each gets a $1.00 refund, their out of pocket cost is $9.00 each not $8.33. The salesmen paid a final total of $27 for the room after the $1.00 refund for each and the bellboy kept $2.00, where is the extra dollar? (9 X 3 + 2 = 29). I'll leave it up to Noman to provide the answer, it's his post and I don't want to rain on his parade. :)
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2006
  12. Count de McArds

    Count de McArds New Member

    What extra dollar?

    I whole-heartedly agree Mr. Rookie789. For those of you that are younger and prefer and prefer to deal in integers rather than fractions (not unlike an unbalanced count that does not require division to arrive at a true count!) - each salesman paid 9 (10 less the dollar returned) for a total of 27. The real question is was the Bell Boy an AP??!!

    As I recall, I first heard a version of this about 35 years ago. The classics remain in circulation forever!

    The Count
     
  13. Joep

    Joep Active Member

    Stop Playing

    To Rookie and the Count ( My new friend ) you are both mistaken.The cost of the room was 25 dollars they got back 1.66 refund. 1.66 X 3 = 4.98 rounded up to 5 You see 5 divided by 3 = 1.66 out of that 1.66 they gave the bell boy .66 each which is 1.98 rounded up to 2 .So I hope you guys are not playing for big money in the casino's .
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2006
  14. Count de McArds

    Count de McArds New Member

    Who was the Bell Boy?

    I stand by my early post/statement - the above not withstanding. Don't confuse "cost" with what was actually paid! My guess is that Joep ( a new friend ) was indeed the Bell Boy! - after, he came out two dollars ahead!!

    The Count
     
  15. Joep

    Joep Active Member

    Get Better Shoes

    This was why you for some time were on the other side of the tables. We all know about their meaning the " Suits " overall ability to figure things out . As far as me being a bell boy any job other that a floor man paid to stand on your feet for 8 hours a shift and watch people gamble . I could think of a lot more jobs I rather do that that. Hey but someones has to and we are glad that it was you and not us. :joker:
     
  16. rookie789

    rookie789 Active Member

    Actual Cost

    Joe,
    It is a trick question and your answer is almost correct with the exception of rounding to the nearest whole number (1.67 is correct). Although your concept is correct and not many would solve the question working the math from the direction you did which I applaude, I stand by my earlier rebuttal of your 1st post without details that each salesmens actual "cost" was $8.33. Room rent the proprietor received was $25, their actual "cost" was $9 each or $27 plus the $2 the bell boy stole. Hmmmmmmmm wonder where the extra dollar went LOL. Our biggest difference is semantics but thats important to answer a trick question such as this. Look me up at the big money table and the "Steaming Pepsi" is my treat.
     
  17. Prospect

    Prospect Member

    It is a trick question

    There is no "missing dollar". Rookie, look at it this way.

    The room was $25. The tip was $2. The total cost of the room was $27.

    Each person paid $9. Total paid was $9 x 3 = $27.
     
  18. Joep

    Joep Active Member

    I Really Found It Now !!

    If you are looking for actual cost than $9 is your answer ;)

    If you are looking for the missing dollar check with Tex I heard he applied it to the dinner bill at my birthday party last Saturday night at the Hilton that he forgot to invite me to :laugh:
     
  19. rookie789

    rookie789 Active Member

    Beating a Dead Horse to death

    I'll start with the easiest response;

    Although I paid $35 cash to attend Joep's birthday party at the LVH last week (he wasn't invited as it turns out) I found out it was comped, the real question is not what happened to the salesmens $1 at the hotel but what happened to my $35 at the LVH. LOL, the comraderie and steak was worth every penny and was money well spent, Happy belated Birthday Joe.

    2nd response;

    Prospect,
    I know there is no missing dollar, it is a trick question but I don't understand your post, please explain; Your post quoted,

    The room was $25. The tip was $2. The total cost of the room was $27.

    Each person paid $9. Total paid was $9 X 3 = $27

    Now we have a more complexing problem to solve with 3 unaccounted dollars to account for instead of one ($30-27 vs, $30-$29). anxiously awaiting your solution.
     
  20. TXtourplayer

    TXtourplayer Executive Member

    Easy answer

    At least one of the men goes downstairs to the casino and plays for four hours and gets their room comped. Each man having only one bag don't use the bellman and therefore saves their money. :eek:

    You forget were at a casino site....LOL :D
     

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