Math Is Fun Forum

excelerator

Member

Registered: 2022-10-12

Posts: 1

four-people-travel-solution

(Apologies if this is some kind of a repost or the wrong place or whatever - I did search for a thread on it before I started a new topic.)

https://www.mathsisfun.com/puzzles/four-people-travel-solution.html

I thought this was funny - the way it is written

Four people are traveling to different places on different types of transport.
Their names are: Rachel, John, Mr. Jones and Cindy.
They either went on train, car, plane or ship.
• Mr. Jones hates flying
• Cindy has to rent her vehicle
• John gets seasick
How did they each travel?

It took me a few minutes but then I came up with ONE answer (not 3 as in the solution).

Cindy rented the car, obvs.

Then I stalled, I had Mr. Jones NOT plane and I had John NOT ship (I didn't know there could be 3 answers).

But then I re-read "John gets seasick" as "John gets seasick" ... so he was on the ship!

Which then means the single answer is:

Cindy Car
John Ship
Mr. Jones Train
Rachel Plane.

Bob

Administrator

Registered: 2010-06-20

Posts: 9,635

Re: four-people-travel-solution

hi excelerator

Welcome to the forum.

It took me a while to track it down but I raised this issue early on in my MIF membership.

http://www.mathisfunforum.com/viewtopic.php?id=14426

The question is poorly worded as 'gets seasick' could have two very different meanings.  On reflection, I like your version and it is more satisfying as it leads to a single answer.

Happy puzzling!

Bob

---

Children are not defined by school ...........The Fonz
You cannot teach a man anything;  you can only help him find it within himself..........Galileo Galilei
Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes, just to test you!  …………….Bob

imcute

Member

Registered: 2022-09-28

Posts: 176

Re: four-people-travel-solution

enumeration
1=rachel 2=john 3=jones 4=cindy
train car plane ship
3 not on third place
4 not on second place
2 not on 4th place
1 2 3 4x
1 2 4 3
1 4 2 3x
1 4 3 2x
1 3 2 4
1 3 4 2x
2 1 3 4x
2 1 4 3
2 4 1 3x
2 4 3 1x
2 3 1 4
2 3 4 1
3 2 1 4
3 2 4 1
3 4 2 1x
3 4 1 2x
3 1 2 4
3 1 4 2x
4 1 3 2x
4 1 2 3
4 2 1 3
4 2 3 1x
4 3 1 2x
4 3 2 1
so there are 12 solutions