Math Is Fun Forum

Roraborealis

Member

Registered: 2005-03-17

Posts: 1,594

The Evil King

In a kingdom, there rules a King. The King is very evil and nobody likes him. The King's son, the prince, however, is a very nice person and everybody likes him and wants him King instead.

The King one day got very jealous by this fact and decided to try and do away with the prince, so he stuck a bar of gold in his bag. A guard found the gold in his bag and accused him of stealing. There was no evidence that the prince had stole the gold, so the kingdom gave him a 50/50 chance to stay alive instead of being executed for theivery.
They placed one green and one red grape in a bag. If the prince took the red, he would die. If he took the green, he would live. But what the whole kingdom didn't know was that the King swapped the green for another red, so they were both red grapes. The prince knew this because he caught the king doing it.

When the prince is presented with the bag, how does he live?

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School is practice for the future. Practice makes perfect. But - nobody's perfect, so why practice?

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: The Evil King

Run very fast. That works for Rincewind (of Discworld).

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

Zach

Member

Registered: 2005-03-23

Posts: 2,075

Re: The Evil King

Discworld rocks.

...

Erm... As for the puzzle, allow me to contemplate the idea first.

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Boy let me tell you what:
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And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.

Mr T

Member

Registered: 2005-03-30

Posts: 1,012

Re: The Evil King

get evry1 hu likes da prince 2 overthrow the king. simple innit yo!!!

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I come back stronger than a powered-up Pac-Man
I bought a large popcorn @ the cinema the other day, it was pretty big...some might even say it was "large
Fatboy Slim is a Legend

justlookingforthemoment

Moderator

Registered: 2005-05-26

Posts: 2,161

Re: The Evil King

He forces the grape into the King's mouth - and va la - the King dies!?

Roraborealis

Member

Registered: 2005-03-17

Posts: 1,594

Re: The Evil King

Good thinking - I never even thought of that - but the answer's wrong!
You were sort of on the right lines, but it's only the prince that does something with the grapes....that may help a bit.

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School is practice for the future. Practice makes perfect. But - nobody's perfect, so why practice?

justlookingforthemoment

Moderator

Registered: 2005-05-26

Posts: 2,161

Re: The Evil King

He pretends to eat it, then pretends to die...the whole kingdom thinks he is dead so they leave him alone and the prince can run away...

That idea was just as worse as the first one.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: The Evil King

Yeah, that could work. He swaps the grape for an identical non-poisonous one just before eating it (his best friend the magicician taught him how to do it).

And, actually, everyone will be amazed at his ability to overcome death, they will elect him King for life.

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

justlookingforthemoment

Moderator

Registered: 2005-05-26

Posts: 2,161

Re: The Evil King

The prince stabs the King away in a room when they are having supper, and then takes a potion (also from his friend the magician) which makes him look like the King, so everyone thinks he is the King, but he is still the Prince!

or

He throws the gold bar at the King, which knocks the King out. The King dies and the prince is immediately crowned because he is heir to the throne.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: The Evil King

... If the prince took the red, he would die ...

I had assumed it was a POISONOUS grape, but you didn't actually say it was, right? It is just a selection procedure.

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

justlookingforthemoment

Moderator

Registered: 2005-05-26

Posts: 2,161

Re: The Evil King

Ah ha! Now I understand, MathsIsFun!

becca

Member

Registered: 2005-06-23

Posts: 1

Re: The Evil King

He pretends to eat it, then pretends to die...the whole kingdom thinks he is dead so they leave him alone and the prince can run away...

That idea was just as worse as the first one.

i think ths is funny (not)

Roraborealis

Member

Registered: 2005-03-17

Posts: 1,594

Re: The Evil King

I had assumed it was a POISONOUS grape, but you didn't actually say it was, right?

I didn't, and I can tell you it wasn't, because it's not really a vital piece of information! The only way the grapes are coloured differently s to indicate the prince's fate, but since all the grapes in the bag are the same colour, the the prince only has one fate: death.

He has to do something to make it look like he picked a green...........

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School is practice for the future. Practice makes perfect. But - nobody's perfect, so why practice?

Mr T

Member

Registered: 2005-03-30

Posts: 1,012

Re: The Evil King

say "look a green grape!"

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I come back stronger than a powered-up Pac-Man
I bought a large popcorn @ the cinema the other day, it was pretty big...some might even say it was "large
Fatboy Slim is a Legend

mathsyperson

Moderator

Registered: 2005-06-22

Posts: 4,900

Re: The Evil King

What if the villagers don't know what he took, but try to deduce what he took...

Feel free to moderate this if I've made it too obvious and spoiled everyone's fun.

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Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

Roraborealis

Member

Registered: 2005-03-17

Posts: 1,594

Re: The Evil King

You haven't at all.

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School is practice for the future. Practice makes perfect. But - nobody's perfect, so why practice?

Mr T

Member

Registered: 2005-03-30

Posts: 1,012

Re: The Evil King

all of suggestions would have worked!!! accept it and move on with ur life

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I come back stronger than a powered-up Pac-Man
I bought a large popcorn @ the cinema the other day, it was pretty big...some might even say it was "large
Fatboy Slim is a Legend

justlookingforthemoment

Moderator

Registered: 2005-05-26

Posts: 2,161

Re: The Evil King

Spray paint the grape?

Roraborealis

Member

Registered: 2005-03-17

Posts: 1,594

Re: The Evil King

I'm afriad not.

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School is practice for the future. Practice makes perfect. But - nobody's perfect, so why practice?

justlookingforthemoment

Moderator

Registered: 2005-05-26

Posts: 2,161

Re: The Evil King

Doh! Um...

Roraborealis

Member

Registered: 2005-03-17

Posts: 1,594

Re: The Evil King

Do you give up? I can tell you I did.....

Last edited by Roraborealis (2005-06-24 21:04:44)

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School is practice for the future. Practice makes perfect. But - nobody's perfect, so why practice?

katecaroline

Member

Registered: 2005-06-19

Posts: 35

Re: The Evil King

Ummm he peels the grape quickly? If you take the skin off of a red grape, it's green

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Roraborealis

Member

Registered: 2005-03-17

Posts: 1,594

Re: The Evil King

No...........

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School is practice for the future. Practice makes perfect. But - nobody's perfect, so why practice?

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: The Evil King

I think I know, if you asked someone else ... no, no I won't say.

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

justlookingforthemoment

Moderator

Registered: 2005-05-26

Posts: 2,161

Re: The Evil King

I've got no idea at the moment, but don't tell us the answer yet, please Rora!