Random Thoughts Part 5: Time to Split Again

[NascentOxygen]

How do you interpret 5, 7, 9 and 15 in that case?

The base 5 solution doesn't make use of those symbols.

 

[Ibix]

The base 5 solution doesn't use those.

I'd like to see a base 5 solution that did. But my point is that if you read the numbers in base 5 they aren't even valid symbols, so either have to be discarded as garbage or read in another base. That's why I went for a base greater than nine.

Given the range of creative solutions we've come up with, I suppose it's not a major issue.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Borek came up with one that didn't violate any constraints; "You want me to get creative? If you write 3 twice in the same place, rotating it 180 deg for the second copy, you get 8. 11+11+8=30."

As the kids nowadays say; "BAM!"

The kids should be saying,"Obvious violation of implied constraints."

Your statement, "Borek came up with one that didn't violate any constraints" is just plain not true.

 

[OmCheeto]

The kids should be saying,"Obvious violation of implied constraints."

Your statement, "Borek came up with one that didn't violate any constraints" is just plain not true.

You seem to be hung up on "implied" constraints.

I think they are all in your head.

 

[zoobyshoe]

You seem to be hung up on "implied" constraints.

I think they are all in your head.

I don't think they are. Try creating an 8 from two threes in some other situation and see how accurate your answer is. There's such an obvious implied constraint against that that no one would seriously consider it.

 

[OmCheeto]

I don't think they are. Try creating an 8 from two threes in some other situation and see how accurate your answer is. There's such an obvious implied constraint against that that no one would seriously consider it.

To be honest, I don't know what the official answer is. But I do know a bit of maths, and a few of the rules, so I decided to be the judge of the answers.
And after my nap, I decided the there are, as you mentioned, some implied constraints.
The last two sentences were obviously added after the fact, and should be ignored completely.
I also decided that the quiz was done with a pencil, so Borek's merger of two 3s seemed legitimate.

The answer I saw was [15] + [11,3] + [3,7]
This is why I called collinsmark a jerk, as I thought it was too big of a hint.
Commas are used as decimal points in Europe, South America, and Western Africa. [ref]

The Ibix & Sophia solution that I considered correct was: [ , ] + [15] + [15]
although they said they were cheating by leaving a box blank.
But the instructions don't tell you to use the numbers, so putting a comma in one of the boxes works fine, IMHO.

I also like the base change solutions, but that might lead to an ungodly number of solutions.
[ 5₁₅ ] + [ 7₁₅ ] + [ 9₁₅ ] = 30₇
I'm guessing it falls under the pattern:
[ x ] + [ y ] + [ z ] = w_base
where w = 3 * base

The most trivial ones I saw were:

[ 5₇ ] + [ 5₇ ] + [ 5₇ ] = 30₅
[ 7₁₅ ] + [ 7₁₅ ] + [ 7₁₅ ] = 30₇
etc, etc.

But I do understand your "implied constraints" now, as, you can be most creative, without them:

 

[OmCheeto]

ps. About a year before I retired, my company fired me from my management position.
But they kept me on, as a sort of consultant.
So I got to sit in my new boss's office, with my new boss, for about a year, in what used to be my office.
Sometime very near my retirement date, he blurted out something to the effect; "Do I really need to make a new policy rule to cover this"?
I told him; "There are already too many rules. I've been here for 30 years, and every time there's a problem, a new rule gets posted. Eventually, the only rule left will be; "Don't poop on the floor." At which point, someone will pee in the corner."

true story

 

[NascentOxygen]

In some fonts the parentheses wrap-around like a semicircle, so if you type three consecutive characters 3() it forms what resembles 30.

 

[OmCheeto]

In some fonts the parentheses wrap-around like a semicircle, so if you type three consecutive characters 3() it forms what resembles 30.

[ , ] + [ , ] + [ 3() ] = 30

I accept your answer!

Good one!

 

[NascentOxygen]

The answer I saw was [15] + [11,3] + [3,7]

I can see how that may be construed, but I wouldn't allow it, there not being an "11,3" or "3,7" pattern evident in the given set.

I would accept 7,9 + 9,1 + 13 as these sequences of characters are, arguably, all present.

 

[NascentOxygen]

[ , ] + [ , ] + [ 3() ] = 30

Not quite. I meant you could regard "+" as a string concatenation operation, as in BASIC,
[ 3 ] + [ ( ] + [ ) ] = 3()

 

[Sophia]

This puzzle should be much easier for you than for Americans.

View attachment 97634

I had to be shown the answer...
And then I was like; "Oh. That's right. You have to sometimes think outside of the box, in more ways than one."

What about turning it into equation?
3x+5+7=30

This would give us nice number 6

Or another option
15+9+7=30+1

 

[Psinter]

I told him; "There are already too many rules. I've been here for 30 years, and every time there's a problem, a new rule gets posted. Eventually, the only rule left will be; "Don't poop on the floor." At which point, someone will pee in the corner."

What does that mean (if anything)? I don't understand.

 

[Sophia]

Spring is here! (spring equinox)

and something for Psinter

Spoiler

 

[einswine]

What does that mean (if anything)? I don't understand.

I think it means that once one has had to create a rule for every stupid thing you can image someone will do, they will figure out something even stupiderer than that.

 

[Psinter]

Spring is here! (spring equinox)

and something for Psinter

Spoiler

❣♡ They look so charming and lovable! The one that was licking the dog suddenly stopped and raised his cute ears up ♡. And the ones in the water splashed! ♡♡♡❣

It's so charming that if I could give you 10 likes for that post I would give you 20.

I think it means that once one has had to create a rule for every stupid thing you can image someone will do, they will figure out something even stupiderer than that.

Ohhhhhhh, that makes sense.

 

[Ibix]

I think it means that once one has had to create a rule for every stupid thing you can image someone will do, they will figure out something even stupiderer than that.

There's a slightly more subtle point behind it, I think. There is a tendency among corporate types to treat staff as interchangeable drones, and just write more and more rules about what must be done in a certain situation. This does have advantages in some circumstances, but promotes mindless rule following. In many circumstances it is better to have people who are skilled enough to figure out what to do for themselves rather than to have rule-following robots. Particularly because if you don't require brains to work in your place, you'll get the kind of employee who will do something stupid because no one told them not to.

That's my take, anyway.

 

[OmCheeto]

...
Ohhhhhhh, that makes sense.

As an example, one day I was sitting at my desk, about 10 years ago, when one of my employees came stomping into my office, and said something to the effect; "Make her stop looking at me. She keeps looking at me. It's giving me the creeps. Make her stop, now".

I'm sure something like the following, went through my head; "Great. New Rule! No one is allowed to look at anyone."

 

[Ibix]

I'm sure something like the following, went through my head; "Great. New Rule! No one is allowed to look at anyone."

Someone once wanted to implement a no swearing rule at my place of work. My boss immediately asked what words would be on the "banned" list and how we would communicate the "banned" list without violating the ban. Most other reactions used words that would probably be banned. The idea got dropped quite quickly.

 

[Psinter]

I'm sure something like the following, went through my head; "Great. New Rule! No one is allowed to look at anyone."

Hehe, a rule for those who are bothered by it.

Someone once wanted to implement a no swearing rule at my place of work. My boss immediately asked what words would be on the "banned" list and how we would communicate the "banned" list without violating the ban. Most other reactions used words that would probably be banned. The idea got dropped quite quickly.

Replace damn with sham: I don't give a sham.
And arse with rear end. Like here:

Spoiler: Sweet Substance

You can always improve your vocabulary. I do it every time: (Now I practice rather)

Spoiler: Rather

Excuse me, waiter? Yes, I rather have a piece of sweet cocoa instead of that savage yellow liquid the commoners call "beer".

 

[WWGD]

Someone once wanted to implement a no swearing rule at my place of work. My boss immediately asked what words would be on the "banned" list and how we would communicate the "banned" list without violating the ban. Most other reactions used words that would probably be banned. The idea got dropped quite quickly.

Is "Jehovah" one of these?

 

[WWGD]

Going to get some coffee to wake up and...make some money. I am stressed out.

 

[Ibix]

Is "Jehovah" one of these?

<Adjusts fake beard, throws stone>

No. But I've never heard so much bad language in the office as I did that afternoon. It was quite funny listening to my educated, polite, well-spoken colleagues exercising their right to swear like troopers...

 

[WWGD]

<Adjusts fake beard, throws stone>

No. But I've never heard so much bad language in the office as I did that afternoon. It was quite funny listening to my educated, polite, well-spoken colleagues exercising their right to swear like troopers...

Must have been a #@$% ng great time.

 

[zoobyshoe]

It's 22 days past Leap Day.

Current temperature at the South Pole -61° F

News from around the Nation: WWGD said, "#@$% ng."

 

[einswine]

In the midst of a conversation, in the midst of constructing a sentence, I could not find the word that should have gone right there. Immediately in my mind appeared a great plane that stretched into the evening mist of a far horizon. A multitude shambled along indifferently into that vapor as I watched. And looking at them I saw they were my nouns.

True story but, note to self, dyspeptic dystopic visionary schtick... not helpful.

 

[WWGD]

It's 22 days past Leap Day.

Current temperature at the South Pole -61° F

News from around the Nation: WWGD said, "#@$% ng."

You can quote me on that...I guess you just did.

 

[WWGD]

PETA ( which sounds like the British pronunciation for Peter ) has some absurd suggestions. I was reading on mice, and PETA suggests :
1) Using a humane trap. Fair enough, but...

2) Once the mice is caught, it should be returned to its original environment ??
Reasonable, but, how can anyone figure out what this environment is?

 

[OmCheeto]

PETA ( which sounds like the British pronunciation for Peter ) has some absurd suggestions. I was reading on mice, and PETA suggests :
1) Using a humane trap. Fair enough, but...

2) Once the mice is caught, it should be returned to its original environment ??
Reasonable, but, how can anyone figure out what this environment is?

I would say, "outside" is their natural environment.
I heard one in my kitchen trash bag about a month ago.
Knowing that I would scream like a sissy if I saw it, I put the whole bag outside on my back porch.
A couple of hours later, I found that my feral cats had killed it.

 

[Psinter]

If you were moved in time to the middle ages, would you know how to recreate current technology? I wouldn't. Theoretically I know how some things work more or less, but how on Earth do I build a transistor in the nano meter scale in the middle age?!

As a matter of fact: "How do I even build one now in this time in the nano meter scale?" Is the question.

Makes you think.

 

[Pepper Mint]

If you were moved in time to the middle ages, would you know how to recreate current technology? I wouldn't. Theoretically I know how some things work more or less, but how on Earth do I build a transistor in the nano meter scale in the middle age?!
As a matter of fact: "How do I even build one now in this time in the nano meter scale?" Is the question.
Makes you think.

I won't because I will miss my game (I play only one ) and hanging around with people in the pool, the gym club... I ain't going to chain my own legs and hands in a tiny cottage. Noooo, thank you so much. I like online trading better.

 

[WWGD]

If you were moved in time to the middle ages, would you know how to recreate current technology? I wouldn't. Theoretically I know how some things work more or less, but how on Earth do I build a transistor in the nano meter scale in the middle age?!

As a matter of fact: "How do I even build one now in this time in the nano meter scale?" Is the question.

Makes you think.

That's part of the price to pay for the modern "information"(noise) age. But, hey, still, it is the first day of the end of your life.

 

[Psinter]

That's part of the price to pay for the modern "information"(noise) age. But, hey, still, it is the first day of the end of your life.

You could say that again.

 

[Sophia]

If you were moved in time to the middle ages, would you know how to recreate current technology? I wouldn't. Theoretically I know how some things work more or less, but how on Earth do I build a transistor in the nano meter scale in the middle age?!

As a matter of fact: "How do I even build one now in this time in the nano meter scale?" Is the question.

Makes you think.

Absolutely not. I don't have the slightest idea how a telephone works, or worse a radio or a TV! How can a picture turn to digital info than travel by air or cable and than materialise again? That's a total mystery and I'm 100% convinced that it's magic.

 

[Pepper Mint]

Cynical opportunism hides away all despairs.