[you can view a higher-resolution version of the puzzle here]
If you have a hard time reading the text below each picture, here’s what the first line says:
The stout boy quartette could tug just as strong as the plump sisters
The second line reads:
While two plump sisters and a stout boy could hold their own against the slim twins
And finally:
Now which side will win in this event?
If you can figure this old puzzle out, you may enter your answer in the comment section below. Will unmask submissions sometime this weekend or Monday. Thanks.
It looks like 2 slim twins (t) and 3 plump sisters (s) on the left, with 4 stout boys (b) and a plump sister (s) on the right.
So reducing everything to the strength of a stout boy, you have 5 on the left and 4.8 on the right, guessing that all the stout boys are strong as other stout boys and the plump sisters the same.
What is really impressive is those skiny twins!
cool puzzle, I think the answer is like this:
SB= stout boys; PS= plumb sisters; ST= slim twins
from top to botton:
picture1: 4SB = 5PS—>SB=5/4PS (1)
picture2: 2PS + SB = 2ST—> subtitute from (1)—->
2PS + 5/4PS = 2ST—->13/4PS =2ST (2)
picture 3 left side: 2ST + 3PS –> subtitute from (2)—>
13/4PS+3PS= 25/4PS
picture 3 right side: PS + 4SB–> substitute from (1)–>
6PS—> 24/4PS
25/4PS > 24/4PS—> left side wins
The left side will win.
Picture 1: 4(STOUT) = 5(PLUMP)
Picture 2: 2(PLUMP) + 1(STOUT) = 2(SKINNY)
Picture 3: 2(SKINNY) + 3(PLUMP) VS. 4(STOUT) + 1(PLUMP)
From Picture 1, we can substitute into the Picture 3 equation:
2(SKINNY) + 3(PLUMP) VS. 6(PLUMP)
Removing 3(PLUMP) from each side of the rope will not change the outcome of the contest, so we can write:
2(SKINNY) VS. 3(PLUMP)
Picture 1 tells us that each PLUMP is slightly less strong than each STOUT.
Picture 2 tells us that 2 SKINNY’s are evenly matched against 2 PLUMP’s and 1 STOUT.
So we can deduce that 3 PLUMP’s are not enough to out-pull the 2 SKINNY dudes on the left, who will win the match in Picture 3.
2(SKINNY) + 3(PLUMP) > 4(STOUT) + 1(PLUMP)
My only question regarding Picture 3 is: What happened to the 5th PLUMP sister?!?!?
(1) 4x = 5y
(2) 2y + x = 2z
(3) 2z + 3y ? 4x + y
Now using 2 & 3:
(4) 2y + x + 3y ? 4x + y
(5) x + 5y ? 4x + y
Now, using 1 & 5:
(6) x + 4x ? 4x + y
(7) x > y
Thus, the left side wins.
The stout boy quartet and one plump sister.
one stout boy on the left would beat one plump sister on the right;
So left side would win!
The rope looks like it is going to the right. However, if each is given a value: girls 4, boys 5, and twins 6.5. Then the bottom rope pull is 25=24 so the left side (with the twins) would win.
the side to the right.
Eliot
If I got the pictures right, it showed the following information (b=brother, s=sister, t=twin) in the pictures:
4b = 5s
2s+b=2t
2t+3s ? s+4b
Using the first two equations, we can replace 2t for 2s+b and 4b for 5s in the last one, resulting in
2s+b+3s ? s+5s
5s+b ? 6s
b ? s
And from the first picture we know that brothers are stronger than sisters, so the left side will win:
b > s
The Left side will win with 25% more plump sister strength….
The Twins’ team will win.
4 Stout Boys (B) = 5 Plump Sisters (P)
We can use B as our standard strength unit, and determine that P = .8B
The Slim Twins (T) = 2P + 1B or 2.6B
Who will win a match composed of The Slim Twins + 3 Plump Sisters vs. 1 Plump Sister + 4 Stout Boys
T + 3P vs 1P +4B We subtract 1 sister from each side as they will cancel each other out giving us T + 2P vs 4B.
Now we substitute each participants strength value with our standard unit of B giving us the following.
2.6B + 1.6B vs 4B or 4.2B vs. 4B
The Twins’ team has more pulling power than the Stout Boys’ team.
Very good, the correct answer is left side will win. Several good explanations given above, too.
You people are making this WAY too complex!!!
The last rope is tantamount to a Stout dude on the left versus a Plump chick on the right. The dude will always win!