Adamski
11-27-2010, 02:48 PM
Guys,
One day, the warden of Michigan's infamous Jackson State Prison decided to play a little game. He called for 3 inmates with years remaining on their sentences to be brought to his office. Here's what he told them to do: "Stand in a line facing east, one behind the other, 4 feet apart. I am blindfolding you so that you cannot see anything. I have 5 identical small hats - 3 white and 2 black. I am placing 1 hat on each inmate's head. I am disgarding the remaining 2 hats so you will not see them. When I remove the blindfolds, you will not turn around nor will you have any mirror or window to look into. You will only see the inmate directly in front of you and no one else. You will not touch any hats including the one on your head. If you can tell me what is the color of the small hat on the top of your head, I will set you free. If you cannot, you will serve out your entire sentence."
First, the warden removed the blindfold from the inmate at the rear of the line. He could see the hats on the 2 inmates in front of him. He said, "I don't know what color hat is on my head."
Next, the warden removed the blindfold from the inmate in the middle of the line. He could see the hat on the 1 inmate in front of him. He said, "I don't know what color hat is on my head."
Finally, the warden removed the blindfold from the inmate at the front of the line. He could not see any inmate or any hat. He said, "I know what color hat is on my head."
Questions:
1. What color hat was on the head of the inmate at the front of the line?
2. How did he figure out what color hat was on his head?
One day, the warden of Michigan's infamous Jackson State Prison decided to play a little game. He called for 3 inmates with years remaining on their sentences to be brought to his office. Here's what he told them to do: "Stand in a line facing east, one behind the other, 4 feet apart. I am blindfolding you so that you cannot see anything. I have 5 identical small hats - 3 white and 2 black. I am placing 1 hat on each inmate's head. I am disgarding the remaining 2 hats so you will not see them. When I remove the blindfolds, you will not turn around nor will you have any mirror or window to look into. You will only see the inmate directly in front of you and no one else. You will not touch any hats including the one on your head. If you can tell me what is the color of the small hat on the top of your head, I will set you free. If you cannot, you will serve out your entire sentence."
First, the warden removed the blindfold from the inmate at the rear of the line. He could see the hats on the 2 inmates in front of him. He said, "I don't know what color hat is on my head."
Next, the warden removed the blindfold from the inmate in the middle of the line. He could see the hat on the 1 inmate in front of him. He said, "I don't know what color hat is on my head."
Finally, the warden removed the blindfold from the inmate at the front of the line. He could not see any inmate or any hat. He said, "I know what color hat is on my head."
Questions:
1. What color hat was on the head of the inmate at the front of the line?
2. How did he figure out what color hat was on his head?