An Impossible Question

[Johz]

Here's a challenge, NSG. What is the answer to this?

If a third of six is three, what would half of twenty be?

Can anyone work that out? I have the answer in my hand, and even after looking at the explanation, I can't work out how to answer it. So, is it just me, or is this a really weird puzzle?

(Oh, and I won't give you the answer. It'll just spoil it for you. And I know how easy it is to just take a little peek, so I'm not even going to spoilerify it until later. See if you get it first.)

EDIT:Spelling corrected, thanks Astralsideria. And Dyakovo. Yes. That was stupid.

[Astralsideria]

What's a have? Is it a half?

[Spartan Philidelphia]

Well, a third of a six isn't 3...

[Dyakovo]

Shouldn't the question be

If a third of six is three, what would havehalf of twenty be?

[Twigica]

It is

10

Just stating a third of six is three does not change the answer.

[Lackadaisical2]

a half of 20 could be 20, if a third of 6 is 3.

[Astralsideria]

Yeah, I'm inclined to agree. Half of twenty is ten. The fact that the maths of the first bit is failed matters not a jot.

EDIT: or, perhaps, if we're fiddling with basic maths, it might be 15. Y'know... 1.5 x real answer = this answer?

[DaWoad]

could be 11, or 15, or 12.5, or 10

[WokaStates]

It is

10

Just stating a third of six is three does not change the answer.

The question sets a new laws of mathematics and wants to find you the result of 20/2 if 6/3=3.

I think its

6,666...

[SHADOW Corporation]

Half of twenty will be ten! It has nothing to do with whatever you say the third of three is!!!.

[Panzerjaeger]

The answer is pantaloons obviously.

[Johz]

Shouldn't the question be

If a third of six is three, what would havehalf of twenty be?

What's a have? Is it a half?

Thank you. Stupid mistake.

Well, a third of a six isn't 3...

I think that is the point. If a third of six were three, what would half of twenty be?

No, I don't think I get it either. I'm subjecting this to the NSG treatment in order to see if it is actually physically possible.

[Earth s Moon]

30.

[Puff-Puff-Pass Land]

The answer is pantaloons obviously.

Not it's not! It must be fish.

[WokaStates]

You are not correct. The fact that 6/3=3 shows that there are different laws than these we know. You have to find the result of 20/2 that does not condradict the law above and its different than the correct result. The one affects the other.

[Gauntleted Fist]

10.

A third of six is never three.

[Panzerjaeger]

The answer is pantaloons obviously.

Not it's not! It must be fish.

What about fish wearing pantaloons?

[Lackadaisical2]

Shouldn't the question be

If a third of six is three, what would havehalf of twenty be?

What's a have? Is it a half?

Thank you. Stupid mistake.

Well, a third of a six isn't 3...

I think that is the point. If a third of six were three, what would half of twenty be?

No, I don't think I get it either. I'm subjecting this to the NSG treatment in order to see if it is actually physically possible.

Well, its not possible with the correct definitions of third and half, but if we're redefining things, the first bit of info could be irrelevant (thus answers of 10), or any other number of possibilities as 6/3=3, isn't really enough to formulate a pattern on.

[Angleter]

Well, if the 'new' division system does this: 6/3=3 rather than 6/3=2, then I presume that 20/2 would equal 10*3/2. Now I hand over to someone cleverer to establish what 3/2 becomes.

[Puff-Puff-Pass Land]

The answer is pantaloons obviously.

Not it's not! It must be fish.

What about fish wearing pantaloons?

How about pantaloons wearing fish?

[Johz]

The answer is pantaloons obviously.

Or fish.



It isn't anything guessed so far. I can give you the explanation, I don't think that helps much.

The question is worded in such a way to make it confusing. Instead of considering how a three can be a third of six, simply work out what three is one third of, which is nine.

That's everything except the answer, I think.

[Gauntleted Fist]

Here's a challenge, NSG. What is the answer to this?

If a third of six is three, what would half of twenty be?

The answer to this is whoever wrote it is a moron. A third of six is never three. <.<;

[Johz]

Definite note:

The first part DOES affect the answer. See my last post for an explanation (sort of) of how.

[Lackadaisical2]

Well, if the 'new' division system does this: 6/3=3 rather than 6/3=2, then I presume that 20/2 would equal 10*3/2. Now I hand over to someone cleverer to establish what 3/2 becomes.

mm... not seeing how 3*10 = 20, as best I can tell 3= sqrt(6), based on the first part, or else we could have defined a division operator, such that:

6/3 in new notation is the same as 6/2 in what we're familiar with now, thus the translation could be, say:

6/(X-1) as the "division" operator.

thus 20/2 in new division becomes 20/(2-1)=20, thats how I got my answer anyway

[WokaStates]

I think I found it. Its...

15