re: Settle This Facebook Math Problem

quote:

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Of course its $20 profit, unless he only has $60 at his disposal, which the problem does not expressly state... thus the only explanation for him finishing with $10 profit is to start with exactly $60, otherwise he makes $20

$10 black
+
$10 red
+
$10 black
=
$10 black

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No, man, just no. He makes $20 regardless.

To fix your red/black math:

$10 black (sale of first horse)
+
$10 black (receive loan)
+
$10 black (sale of second horse)
-
$10 red (pay back loan)
=
$20 black


Or, with all steps:

+$60 (starting funds)
-$60 (paid for first horse)
=
$0 + horse

+ $70 (sold horse)
+ $10 (receive loan)
=
+$80
-$80 (bought second horse)
=
$0 + horse

+$90 (sold second horse)
-$10 (paid back loan)
=
+$80 (final balance, which is $20 more than the starting balance of $60)

Why does y'all assume this guy is even able to borrow $10?

If he can buy the horse back for $80 he had to have $70 to start with.

quote:

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The caption says "In the end, how much money did the man make or loose?" Emphasis on IN THE END. you gotta account for him breaking by buying it back. If he buys it for $60, sells it for $70 and spends $80 to get it back (meaning he spent his profit) he has no profit at this point. Then he turns around and sells it for $90 which is $10 more than he paid to buy it back, then his profit is $10.

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Jesus Christ, are you trolling?

Why do you think it matters if he bought the same horse again for $80 the second time? It doesn't. He made $10 on each trade, totaling $20 profit.




To keep it simple, let's say the man started with $100. He spent $60 on a horse, so he's left with $40 and a horse. He sells the horse for $70, so now he's got $110 and no horse. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF HE BUYS THE SAME HORSE BACK. It does not matter what he buys next. All that matters is he spent $80 on it. So even if he bought the same horse back, he now has $30 and that same fricking horse. Next he sells it for $90, and he now has $120.


The math works the same no matter how much money he started with. He could have started with $100 or $1,000,000 or $0 (and had to borrow it all). In the end, he sold two horses (or the same motherfricking one twice) and made $10 on each sale. He's ahead $20.

How bad will this bake your noodle?

He buys a horse for $60 and sells it for $90. Then he buys a horse for $80 and sells it for $70.

How much did he make or lose?



Before some dumbass starts saying silly shite, he's still ahead $20. Total purchases is $140, total sales is $160.

I am dumbfounded that this has gone on for 6 pages.

quote:

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He profits $10 on each transaction, but he breaks even when he buys the horse back for $10 more. Leaving him with just the $10 profit of the second transaction.

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Explain this to me:

He walks in the door with $0

He walks out the door with $20

How exactly do you call that a $10 profit?

0-60+70+10-80+90-10=20

If you are still confused:


Beginning balance (line value:0)[net problem value:0]
-
First horse purchase (60)[-60]
+
First horse sale (70)[+10]
+
Loan (10)[+20]
-
Second horse purchase (80)[-60]
+
Second horse sale (90)[+30]
-
Repayment of loan (10)[+20]
=
20

there's no mathematically possible way to continuously buy and sell anything in $10 increments and gain a $20 profit.

quote:

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am dumbfounded that this has gone on for 6 pages

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The OT is just getting warmed up

+$20.


Spend 60 = A
Get 70 = B

Spend 80= C
Get 90=d

A= -60
B= 70

C = (B+x)-1
D= 90

varible of x = 10

We know he starts with $60 and ends with $90, so he didn't lose money.

He buys horse for 60, sells it and makes $10, puts up the ten he made, the original investment and another $10 to buy the horse back and sell it for $10.

So A+B = 10
C+D= 10
(A+B)+(C+D) = 20

Man spends 60, gets 70 and has made $10.

Man has seventy and spends an extra ten to buy the horse back. He started with 60 and ended with 90. He didn't make $30 because he had to put more money into it.

So let's say he started with $70 and ended with 90. The answer is still 20.

I'm sure there is something I missed and I'll read on to see my math is a waste of time.

quote:

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there's no mathematically possible way to continuously buy and sell anything in $10 increments and gain a $20 profit.

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What don't you get about it doesn't matter if it's the same horse? Why does the possibility of it being the same horse frick with your head?