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Five Sentences (Posted on 2004-10-12) Difficulty: 3 of 5
Which of the following 5 sentences are true?

a) It is not the case that 2 consecutive sentences are both false.
b) There are fewer false than true sentences.
c) It is not the case that 3 consecutive sentences are all false.
d) It is not the case that 2 consecutive sentences are both true.
e) There are exactly 3 false sentences.

See The Solution Submitted by Brian Smith    
Rating: 3.2308 (13 votes)

Comments: ( Back to comment list | You must be logged in to post comments.)
Solution re: Please!!!! (long proof of randy's answer) | Comment 31 of 34 |
(In reply to Please!!!! by randy)

There are only 32 possible combinations of Trues (Ts) and Falses (Fs).  Assume the following format for the 32 potential answers, ordered A,B,C,D,E.  It follows a pattern.

1=TTTTT, 2=TTTTF, 3=TTTFT, 4=TTTFF, 5=TTFTT, 6=TTFTF, 7=TTFFT, 8=TTFFF, 9=TFTTT, 10=TFTTF, 11=TFTFT, 12=TFTFF, 13=TFFTT, 14=TFFTF, 15=TFFFT, 16=TFFFF. 

17=FTTTT, 18=FTTTF, 19=FTTFT, 20=FTTFF, 21=FTFTT, 22=FTFTF, 23=FTFFT, 24=FTFFF, 25=FFTTT, 26=FFTTF, 27=FFTFT, 28=FFTFF, 29=FFFTT, 30=FFFTF, 31=FFFFT, 32=FFFFF.

Now to eliminate answers, one by one.

1) If A is T, then C is T (there can't be 3 consecutive Fs unless there are also 2 of them).  Eliminate: 5,6,7,8,13,14,15,16.  Remaining: 1-4,9-12,17-32.

2) If A is T, then there cannot be 2 consecutive Fs (given).  Eliminate: 4,12.  Remaining: 1-3,9-11,17-32.

3) If B is T, then E is F (can't be fewer Fs than Ts if there are 3 Fs, and therefore 2 Ts).  Eliminate: 1,3,17,19,21,23.  Remaining: 2,9-11,18,20,22,24-32.

4) If E is T, then there must be 3 Fs (given).  Eliminate: 9,11,25,31.  Remaining: 2,10,18,20,22,24,26-30,32.

5) If D is T, then C and E must be F (if either were true, then they would make consecutive Ts with D, therefore D couldn't be true).  Eliminate: 2,10,18,26,29.  Remaining: 20,22,24,27,28,30,32.

6) We have eliminated all cases of A being T.  Therefore, A must be F.  Therefore, there must be two consecutive Fs (given).  Eliminate: 22.  Remaining: 20,24,27,28,30,32.

7) If B is T, there must be at least 3 Ts (so there are more Ts than Fs).  Eliminate: 24.  Remaining: 20,27,28,30,32.

8) If D is F, there must be 2 consecutive Ts (given).  Eliminate: 27,28,32.  Remaining: 20,30.

9) If D is T, there cannot be 2 consecutive Ts (given). Eliminate: 20.  Remaining: 30.

Answer 30 is FFFTF; in other words, only D is true.  This is the answer randy posted.

I am sure this is not the only way to prove it.


  Posted by Kearns on 2005-04-14 16:03:33
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