Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 3 of 5 1 2 3 4 5
#162706 10/30/06 10:39 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Quote:

And, the red herring "not a" (which does not prove "not b") is there to tempt the examinee.




Not to mention "b" (which does not prove "a").

#162707 10/31/06 12:32 AM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
T
veteran
Offline
veteran
T
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
" Four cards are presented: A, B, 4, and 7. There is a letter on one side of each card and a number on the other side. Which card(s) must you turn over to determine whether the following statement is false?
"If a card has a vowel on one side, then it has an even number on the other side."

Options

A+ odd... yes the statement is false.
A+ even...no you can't prove the statement false.

B+ odd...not germane
B+ even...not germane

4+ vowel...not germane
4+ consonant...not germane

7+ vowel...yes, the statement is false
7+ consonant...not germane.

Only one of the four cards MUST be turned over to prove the statement false.

And the answer is "A".

Not "A" and then maybe "7".
Only the "A" has to be turned over; even if turning over the "7" is needed for the proof.

Geez! I'd like to sell you guys a used car and a garage in the swamp.

#162708 10/31/06 01:52 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Or either "7" and then, maybe, "A", one. You got no call to claim that "A" is any way more special than "7".

#162709 10/31/06 02:12 AM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
T
veteran
Offline
veteran
T
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
Oh yes I do, Faldage, but I'm in my cups tonight so I'll explain it to you monyanna*.

* "phonetically speaking."

#162710 10/31/06 02:29 AM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
T
veteran
Offline
veteran
T
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
On second thought I might forget my incisive logic in the fog of the grey dawn of morning so I'll regale you with it now. as follows...

Listen closely..."IF" (the man says) "the vowel is ..."

Get it? The proposition (and question) is based upon that contention.

Really Faldage, you MUST stop making up your own rules.

#162711 10/31/06 10:45 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
And the logical equivalent* is "If the number is not ..."

*The logical contrapositive, to be specific.

#162712 10/31/06 06:32 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
M
addict
Offline
addict
M
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
Quote:

Listen closely..."IF" (the man says) "the vowel is ..."

Get it? The proposition (and question) is based upon that contention.

Really Faldage, you MUST stop making up your own rules.




The proposition is "If a card has a vowel on one side, then it has an even number on the other side." (BTW, that is a direct copy and paste. The phrase "the vowel is" does not occur even in the discussion much less the statement of the problem.)

"On one side" means if the card has a vowel on either side, not just the side that's showing. It does matter what's on the other side of the 7.

Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
T
veteran
Offline
veteran
T
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
Don't be like Faldage who would rather drink muddy water than admit that he is wrong. Instead listen carefully this one last time and you will become a more knowledgable man even if you are a woman.

[Four cards are presented: A, B, 4, and 7. There is a letter on one side of each card and a number on the other side. Which card(s) must you turn over to determine whether the following statement is false? If a card has a vowel on one side, then it has an even number on the other side.]

Ok, last chance...

The question requires that you find a card to turn over that has a vowel on one side.

Only card "A" has a vowel showing of the four.

Card "4" (an even number) can sport any letter and still be consistant with the statement in question.

Turning over card "4" can't prove or disprove the statement unless card "A" has been turned over first.

Therefore you MUST turn over card "A" first in order to prove or disprove the statement.

As in...

Which card(s) must you turn over to determine whether the following statement is false?

See that wasn't so hard, now was it?

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Oh, I don't mind admitting that I'm wrong WHEN I'M WRONG.

Assuming only these four cards you just might could turn card A over and find an even number. You haven't proven the hypothesis false. If you then turn over card 7 and find a vowel, then and only then have you proven the hypothesis false. And in this case turning over just the 7 card will be sufficient to prove it false and you can take your A card and paint it green for all I care.

Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
M
addict
Offline
addict
M
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
Quote:

If a card has a vowel on one side, then it has an even number on the other side




If the 7 card has A, E, I, O, or U on the side that you can't see then there is a card which has a vowel on one side and an odd number on the other side which makes the statement false.

If the problem stated that these are the fronts of the cards and the statement said "If a card has a vowel on the front, then it has an even number on the back" you would be right, but it doesn't say that. Both sides are equally sides of the card

Page 3 of 5 1 2 3 4 5

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,342
Members9,182
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
1 members (A C Bowden), 429 guests, and 1 robot.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,546
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,917
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5