A puzzle for you..

[minuit666]

Right, before I say this puzzle, I want to make two things clear - Don't PM me with the answer, and don't post it here, make others work it out.

 

 

 

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Imagine an island in the middle of the ocean.

 

On this island are a very advanced form of lions, and a sheep. The island is also covered in grass.

 

The lions can survive by eating the grass (a very advanced type of lion), but would prefer to eat the sheep.

 

The lions are capable of logical thought, and can think problems through.

 

Now, here's the catch - If a lion eats a sheep, it will turn into a sheep and can be eaten by the other lions (which the first lion - now a sheep - will not want). Also, neither the lions nor the sheep will die from old age or disease.

 

Assume that there is no way for the sheep to escape if a lion wants to eat it.

 

Assume also that there is never any debate over which lion would get to the sheep first. Do not assume anything that has not already been mentioned.

 

There are 100 lions and one sheep, will that sheep get eaten?

 

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Before anyone asks, there is only one answer to this, and it is either a definite yes or a definite no. The answer can be worked out logically.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you're still stuck, imagine that there was only 1 lion and 1 sheep, then 2 lions and one sheep, and work your way up.

[darkmage099]

I KNOW!

[Bpob]

I'm sorry but this makes no sense to me whatsoever, maybe it's just because its 7:30 in the morning and i havent had my coffee yet :-s

[ThurinEthir]

My math teacher gave us a problem like this...Except it was a little different. The hint is very helpful...

[sheepdean]

can i just say what is the point of not being allowed to guess? we wil never know if out guesses are right unless you tell us.... maybe write the answer in size one or white (orboth) so we can check once we have the answer.

 

 

 

i got it btw

[cadburys_egg]

can i just say what is the point of not being allowed to guess? we wil never know if out guesses are right unless you tell us.... maybe write the answer in size one or white (orboth) so we can check once we have the answer.

 

 

 

i got it btw

 

 

 

Nah, just size 1. I'll be able to see it if it was in white, I use the SubBlack skin. ;)

 

Don't get it. :? There'd be no point for a lion to eat the sheep anyway.

[issy2]

That's a really werid puzzle. And how the heck are we supposed to know whether we're right or not? And I think I got the answer.

[minuit666]

Nah, just size 1. I'll be able to see it if it was in white, I use the SubBlack skin. ;)

 

Don't get it. :? There'd be no point for a lion to eat the sheep anyway.

 

 

 

Hehe the point is the lions prefer to eat the sheep because they're meat eaters. But they're not going to eat the sheep if it means they will get eaten.

 

And for all those who think they know, or have given up, I'll post the answer below, please don't cheat though.

 

In size 1 of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

if there are 100 lions, the sheep will not be eaten

 

put that into a word processor and increase the size.

[Devilsdragon]

I think you're wrong and here's why:

 

 

 

Because THAT sheep could possibly get eaten. Here's an example(because writing it out without an example is just a flood of pronouns). One lion eats the sheep, THAT sheep has been eaten and now there is a new sheep. THAT sheep has been eaten, however there is a new sheep, but this new sheep isn't THAT sheep. There will always be 1 sheep, but it there won't always be THAT sheep.

 

 

 

Caps used for clarification

[the_trinity_11]

I think you're wrong and here's why:

 

 

 

Because THAT sheep could possibly get eaten. Here's an example(because writing it out without an example is just a flood of pronouns). One lion eats the sheep, THAT sheep has been eaten and now there is a new sheep. THAT sheep has been eaten, however there is a new sheep, but this new sheep isn't THAT sheep. There will always be 1 sheep, but it there won't always be THAT sheep.

 

 

 

Caps used for clarification

 

 

 

Yes lol that's what i had... But yes we won't know if were right considering you said not to pm/post.

[mad4u689]

I don't understand why it should matter what the number of lions is, as long as it's greater than 1. Who cares whether the number of lions is odd or even, for example - Let's say there are three lions. If Lion #1 eats the sheep, then it becomes a sheep. Now there are two lions and one sheep. Now Lion #2 could eat Lion #1, whereby it could be eaten by Lion #3. So that's not good for anyone!

 

 

 

Actually, though, Lion #1 could bank on the fact that Lion #2 won't eat him once he becomes a sheep, because if Lion #2 becomes a sheep and there's only one lion left, Lion #2 will almost definitely be eaten because there's no reason for Lion #3 not to. So Lion #2 will not eat Lion #1... hmm.

 

 

 

Now I see.

 

 

 

Interesting!

[dusqi]

It all depends on what the lions' preferences are for eating sheep compared to being eaten... whether all the lions have the same preferences, and critically whether the lions know what each others' preferences are.

[Tigra00]

This whole question seems rather redundant...I'm not sure what it's supposed to prove...Do these lions have the predesposition that they will infact become the sheep once they eat it?

 

 

 

If that were the case, then uhhh, they'd be able to think logically that they'd just be eaten next, thus they wouldn't eat the sheep. :uhh:

 

 

 

Your question is worded kinda' nutty.

 

 

 

Oh...Was that supposed to be in size 1? Mah bad. :ohnoes:

[BenBru]

What's with all these rediculous puzzles lately...

[minuit666]

My reason for not wanting people to pm/post was so that for a day or so, you couldn't cheat.

 

I've posted the correct answer to the question, and now I will post the way you work it out.

 

 

 

If there was only one lion and one sheep, the lion would eat the sheep and turn into a sheep, because then there would be only one sheep on the island.

 

If there were two lions, the first lion would think "If I eat the sheep, there will be one sheep (me) and one lion, so I will get eaten" and the sheep would go uneaten.

 

So, 1 lion = eaten

 

2 lions = uneaten

 

If there were 3 lions, the first lion would eat the sheep as this would mean a situation of 2 lions and 1 sheep, which means the sheep is safe.

 

If there were 4 lions, the first lion would not eat the sheep, as it would leave 3 lions and a sheep, which means the sheep gets eaten.

 

And you just take that theory onwards, working up to 100 lions. Of course, you should realise that:

 

Odd number of starting lions = sheep gets eaten

 

Even number of starting lions = sheep goes uneaten

 

 

 

The important thing to remember is that a lion will eat a sheep, but not if it will in turn be eaten.

 

If your solution involved assuming conditions other than what I originally said, it is wrong.

 

By logically working through increasing numbers of lions, you can see that lions may eat the sheep as it will result in a situation where the next lion will not want to eat the sheep (Odd numbers to start with) or that the lions won't eat the sheep as it will end with them being eaten (Even numbers to start with).

 

Oh, and maybe I could have phrased the bit about lions not wanting to be eaten better... :oops:

[Kajeeep]

Why don't we just shoot the sheep.

[minuit666]

Because you're not on the island with a gun.