A Simple Logic Question That Most Harvard Students Get Wrong

Business Insider ^ | 12/12/2012 | Gus Lubin

[SeekAndFind]

Havard students get near-perfect SAT scores. These are smart, smart kids. So they shouldn't have trouble with a simple logic question, right?

Try the following puzzle:

A bat and ball cost $1.10.

The bat costs one dollar more than the ball.

How much does the ball cost?

Scroll down for the answer ...

[Oberon]

I’m inclined to say “A nickel,” meaning that the ball costs 5 cents and the bat costs a dollar and five cents, making the bat cost a dollar more than the ball.

[PROCON]

How much does the ball cost?

Nothing, their free thru 0bamaballs :-)

[ConservativeDude]

I’d be inclined to say, “we don’t know” because we don’t know if there is a market for balls when not paired with bats.....

[cotton1706]

Got it right! Simple algebra.

[reformedliberal]

And you’d be correct.

[Charles Henrickson]

A bat and ball cost $1.10.

Must be in a right-to-work state. In a union-thug state, they would cost $47.50.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

(2 * X) + 1 = 1.10

[Flycatcher]

Violent imagery.

That's racist. Probably homophobic too.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

$47.50 plus a good beating for not paying your dues.

[meatloaf]

I didn’t know Obama had balls.

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

I'm not sure why they call it a logic problem- it's clearly a math problem that can be solved with the simplest algebra: 2X + 1.00 = 1.10

2X + (1.00- 1.00) = 1.10 - 1.00
2X = .10
X = .10/2
X = .05

Do they not teach math at Harvard?

[ArrogantBustard]

Homoerotic, actually ... or a rape imagery.

"Bat"??? "Ball"???

Come on ... we all KNOW what they're really talking about!

Thus endeth my attempt at replicating the 'Feminist/Queer Studies" answer to the question.

[USMCPOP]

Is that $1.10 before or after sales tax?

[lurk]

The bat cannot possibly be a dollar more than the ball, because the value of both together after taxes is about $.40. The question is flawed.

[Mikey_1962]

Two equations two unknowns:

X + Y = 1.1

Y = X + 1

Therefore 2X + 1 = 1.1

2x = .1

X = .05

[BO Stinkss]

Damn, I’m stoopid

[yarddog]

My first instinct was to say 10 cents then it struck me that would mean the bat cost 90 cents more.

Of course it is a nickle.

[Bobalu]

The ball is 0.05
The Bat is 1.05 which is 1.00 more than 0.05
The total is 0.05 + 1.05 = 1.10

[Bull Man]

Is this before or after taxes?