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Geek Culture / need help with this logic problem

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thenerd
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Posted: 19th Sep 2009 19:59 Edited at: 19th Sep 2009 20:00
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either i am just being stupid, or it is just hard.
can anyone solve it?

A donkey and a mule were carrying sacks of apples.
the donkey groaned, so the mule said to him: "why are you complaining?
if you gave me one sack, i would have twice as many as you;
if i gave you one of my sacks, then we would have equal loads."
how many sacks was each carrying?


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Sid Sinister
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Posted: 19th Sep 2009 20:06
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Start by translating the story into equations. There will be two equations. One for the donkey, one for the mule. Then once you find the answer for one, you can plug it into the other.

"If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants" - Isaac Newton
Current Project: http://strewnfield.wordpress.com/ (Last updated 06/11/09)
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Happy Cheesecake
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Posted: 19th Sep 2009 20:07
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That sounds impossible to me.

Sometimes reading posts from Zeus or I will bring gut-wrenching laughter, drenched pants, and a full load of underwear.

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
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jezza
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Posted: 19th Sep 2009 20:12 Edited at: 19th Sep 2009 20:12
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Treat this as algebra.
let m be the original number of sacks the mule is carrying.
let d be the original number for the donkey

Quote: "if you gave me one sack, i would have twice as many as you; "

so
d+1 = 2(m-1)
multiplied out:
d+1 = 2m - 2

Quote: "if i gave you one of my sacks, then we would have equal loads.""

so
d-1 = m+1

Now we have simulataneous equations.
Lets rearrange the second, to
d = m+2
Now substitute this into the first equation for d:
(m+2)+1 = 2m - 2

Neaten it up
m+3 = 2m-2
m+5 = 2m
m = 5

Now we can use this to work out d:
d = m+2
d = 5+2
d = 7

So the donkey had 7 sacks, the mule 5.
QED

EDIT: Sid kinda beat me to it...


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thenerd
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Posted: 19th Sep 2009 21:16
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thank you! i had a dumb moment right there...


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Phaelax
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Posted: 19th Sep 2009 22:23
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You sure you got it right Jezza? I got it was the donkey that had 5 and the mule had 7.

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Sid Sinister
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Posted: 19th Sep 2009 23:20
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Yup, Phaelax is right. Donkey 5, Mule 7.

"If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants" - Isaac Newton
Current Project: http://strewnfield.wordpress.com/ (Last updated 06/11/09)
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thenerd
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Posted: 19th Sep 2009 23:22
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i did notice that... but now i get it. now, how about some people to help with newton physics?
just joking. sort of.


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Phaelax
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Posted: 20th Sep 2009 00:59
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go ahead ask us!

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thenerd
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Posted: 20th Sep 2009 01:09 Edited at: 20th Sep 2009 01:43
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basically, I have tried and tried, but i just don't get newton. are there any tutorials that explain, step by step, how to get it to work? I have already searched, none of them actually explain every command.

I posted the same question here, in the dbpro boards, by the way:
http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=158056&b=1


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Phaelax
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Posted: 20th Sep 2009 01:12
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Oh I thought you meant newton's laws. I haven't used the physics package.

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thenerd
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Posted: 20th Sep 2009 01:16
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oh.


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jezza
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Posted: 20th Sep 2009 13:59
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I see where I went wrong. I thought the donkey was speaking, rather than the mule. Too much Shrek I suppose.


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