Before the last race, I heard the runners from Nepal, Oman and Pakistan make predictions about the final standings:

"I hope the Nepalese gets bronze, for then I'm certain to get silver."

"The Omani could get gold, but in that case I'd get silver."

"The gold medal will go to the Pakistani or to me."

I didn't know which runner said what, but as I learned later, they were all right. Furthermore, knowing which country won the race allowed me to calculate the final standings, which were... ?

it's interesting how people come up with differetn answers on this one... maybe a good thing to do is to analyze each of the posted arguments and point out where it went wrong, if it did, and someone figure out as to which analysis is correct and come up with a clear, incontestable conclusion... :) just for discussion. not to declare other people's wrongs...


well anyway, i think kumar's analysis would be the complete one assuming his table is correct (i have not tried to examine it myself)... and i think it will have the potential to be the incontestable one among all the posted answers

and just a comment on Chikkadog's statement:

Chikkadog:Statement one, stated by either the Omani or the Pakistani, is not claiming that they would fare better than the Nepalese but that they're weaker than the other country. (that is, if Nepal < them, then they're certain to get silver, not gold. therefore, them < the other competing country)

me: i agree to this.

chikkadog:So we have two possibilites. Either the Omani said it, declaring the Pakistani will beat him, or the Pakistani said it, declaring the Omani would beat him.

me: if this was the conclusion based on the first statement alone, is not this assuming that there were only 3 countries competing, if you say that the omani declares it will be the pakistani who will beat him because the other one (Nepalese) can't? there were no statements in the problem that declares there were only 3 countries competing, rather, that the author heard only the comments from 3 of the competitors. BUT if we take the first statement in connection with the second and third, this could be a valid argument. not to say though the rest of chikkadog's analysis is incorrect (actually it does look correct), but just to this part it may be an early conclusion...


and a comment to Higahi's statement:
Higashi:"I hope the Nepalese gets bronze, for then I'm certain to get silver." So if this comment is is taken as being a correct prediction, then Nepal would have to have taken Bronze, right?"

me: nope. the one who said "i hope..." means that IF the nepalese gets bronze, THEN he is certain to get a silver. it does not mean that his "hoping" will come true (that nepal would take bronze).again i am not saying the rest of your conclusion is incorrect (i actually think it is pretty plausible)


WELL there you are, just some observations. have not really made any conclusions which one is correct, will SOMEBODY pleez do that and save me a lot of time thinking about this one? THANKS!!!! (a good thing to try if i can... )

Posted by i_wish on 2004-09-06 18:22:57