There is a tug-o-war competition consisting of rounds upon round that all end in a draw meaning both sides end in equal strength. There are several people of exactly equal strength and are represented by the same symbol. (i.e. all * pull the same, but a * and a @ must be different) Each team is representeed by a series of symbols followed by a dashed line being the rope. On the other side of the rope is the team that was equally matched in strength. Here are some of those rounds:
*%-----$
$$$-------@%*%@
@-------!*
Again remembering that ll of the above are ties, and assume that position on the rope doesn't matter, who will win the following match?
!@!!@!-------%$*$

OKAY, I HATE ARBITRARY SYMBOLS, BUT HERE GOES:

OK WE HAVE THE GIVEN:

*% = $
$$$ = @%*%@
@ = !*

FIRST LETS CONBINE THE GIVEN INTO SOMETHING THAT MAY MAKE A LITTLE MORE SENSE...
SINCE *% = $, LETS SUBSTITUTE ***%%% FOR $$$ ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MIDDLE EQUATION OF THE GIVEN. AND SINCE @ = !* LETS SUBSTITUTE !* FOR EVERY @ IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SAME EQUATION.

THEREFORE WE HAVE:

***%%% = ***%%!!

OF CORSE WE ELIMINATE 3 *'S AND 2 %'S FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE EQUATION AND THAT LEAVES US WITH

% = !! .....(THE KEY)

NOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION WE SIMPLY SUBSTITUTE AS WE DID BEFORE,

INSTEAD OF:

!@!!@! = %$*$

WE USE:

!!!!!!** = ***%%%

AND SINCE WE KNOW NOW THAT % = !!, WE USE:

!!!!!!** < !!!!!!***

AS U CAN SEE NOW EVERYTHING CANCELS EXCEPT FOR 1 * ON THE RIGHT SIDE, MAKING THE RIGHT THE STRONGER SIDE!!!

Posted by PRIVATE on 2003-07-17 01:14:42