This post is actually credits to Charles Lai. It all started with a question:
You spent $8 on a chicken, sold it for $9. But you wanted to earn more than that, so you bought back the chicken for $10. Then you sold it to another person for $11. How much did you earn in total?
If you have NOT attempt the question before, please do try it before reading the solution.
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Please don't calculate the depreciation and what nots... just take the question as it is. Don't cari pasal, tq.
So what is the answer?
Is it $2? Or $1? Or $0?
Simple arithmetics, isn't it?
If your answer is $2, you're prolly thinking like this:
You pay $8 for the chicken, thus -8.
Sell chicken for $9, thus +9
Buy chicken for $10, thus -10
Sell chicken for $11, thus +11
Simple ain't it?
so we have
-8 + 9 -10 + 11 = YES!! a profit of $2!!! I'm earning maaahhneee by this!!!
I have a question, how do you buy the chicken if you have $0 to start with?
So you tell me... Okeh okeh, ASSUMING I have $10 to start with.
Then I say... I cannot stop you if you insist that you got $10.
Then those saying $1 profit is prolly doing it this way:
Selling chicken: $9 - $8 = $1 profit
Buying back chicken: $9 - $10 = $1 deficit
Selling chicken again: $11 - $10 = $1 profit
So...
Profit = ($ 1 + $ 1) - $1 (deficit)
= $ 1
Profit is $1. Makes sense doesn't it?
If you get $0, it's prolly because you counted it as:
Because:
1. You buy chicken at $ 8
2. You sell chicken at $ 9
Meaning you get $1 profit here.
3. You buy back chicken at $10
Meaning you already offset the profit. You gave back $9, meaning you give back profit as well. It's like giving you $1 and taking back $1. Moreover, you incurred a loss of $1.
4. You sell chicken for $11. You get $1 profit from $10.
Conclusion: $1 profit - $1 loss = $0
What's your say?
3 comments:
Great puzzle. I was convinced that my, and only my answer was correct. Good way to start arguments with people with everyone else thinking they're right.
That's true. There are so many various other explanations, and if you keep an open mind, it's quite interesting how they all made sense. And you'd be amazed by all their reactions to defend their answers.
A guy walks down 8 steps on a staircase. Then he walks up 9 steps. Then he walks back down 10 steps. Then he walks up 11 steps. How many steps has he gone up?
The $1 logic: after he walks up 9 steps, he's up 1 step, but then he walks back down 10 steps, that cancels out the step he gained because he's -1 step. So when he walks up 11 steps from 10 steps, he's gained only 1 step.
The $0 logic: after he walks up 9 steps, he's up 1 step, but then he walks back down 10 steps, but now he's -1 step. When he walks back up 11 steps again, he gains 1 step and that cancels out the -1 step, so he's back where he started.
Now go find a staircase and do the steps, and try to explain how these answers are "right depending on how you look at it."
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