Another Problem for Hacking Your Brain

Last year, a good friend of mind suggested I should take up the position as a private tutor in maths, giving tuition to students studying in Singapore. You can always reap a handsome return in this kind of endeavour. However, my friend liked to inflict on me some of the maths questions which were presented by his daughter in Sec One. He told me that he was literally thrown off from his chair after seeing the question.

OK, this was the maths question:

Matt, who is often late for appointments, walks up a moving escalator in the MRT station one step at a time. When he moves quickly at the rate of 2 steps per second, he reaches the top after taking 24 steps. When he is tired, he climbs at the rate of 1 step per second and reaches the top after taking 15 steps. How long would Matt take to reach the top if, on a rare day, he just stood on the escalator?

This question is not difficult if you apply algebra. The catch is that you are not allowed to use algebra in solving this question. Again, wishful thinking is the way to go.

How about this question given by a US Professor .

A census-taker knocks on a door, and asks the woman inside how many children she has and how old they are.

"I have three daughters, their ages are whole numbers, and the product of the ages is 36," says the mother.

"That's not enough information," responds the census-taker.

"I'd tell you the sum of their ages, but you'd still be stumped."

"I wish you'd tell me something more."

"Okay, my oldest daughter Annie likes dogs."

The US Professor suggests that you should get your hands dirty in doing this kind of analysis.

Difference between Problem and Exercise

I just watched a university lecture about problem solving. How long do we take to solve a problem, less than a second, a minute, an hour, a day, a month , a year or a life time.

The professor poses a problem as follows:-

a. The doctor categorically says that the drug will work if you take it religiously everyday.

b. The drug consists of two type of pills, i.e. Pill A and Pill B.

c. You are required to take only one pill each of A and B at the same time.

d. Any imbalance of dosage taken will kill you.

E.g.

A + A = fatal

B + B = fatal

A+A+B= fatal

B+B+A=fatal

A alone = fatal

B alone = fatal

A + B = OK

B + A = OK

e. There is no marking on the pill and both pill A and B are identical in look.

f. One day, while taking a phone call, you happen to drop 2 A's and 1 B in your palm.

g. As the pills are identical to each other, you have no way to isolate the pill A and pill B.

g. If you take 2 A's and 1 B, it will end your life.

How do you solve this problem ?

Clue to this problem:

This problem can become an exercise for those who have wishful thinking.

I have googled the internet and could not find any solution. Do you want to slow down the emergence of Alzhemier's disease.

Coffee Shop That Dares to Dictate Terms on Customers

This is one of the many bustling coffee shops found within the vicinity of Tmn Tebrau Wet Market, Johor Bahru. As it serves fairly good foods, you can't help but to go to this place for your nutritional landfill.

This coffee shop wishes to distinguish itself from the rest of its rank in its choice of clients, shaping itself as a definitely snobbery eatery.

As you can see the message displayed on the pillar, if you are fastidious, always looking for a slight oppertunity to kvetch, temperament is definitely a variable in your final bill. Maybe, you are the one who likes to test the water. Please let me know the outcome.

Maybank Share 100305

Maybank was traded at 7.25, an increase of 3.424%. Any explanation for this increase considering the fact that it is trading after ex-cum entitlement.

Does it make sense to keep money in f d and earn only 2% in one year?

The next question, should I sell ?

MAY BE ( NOT MY ORIGINAL WORK)

I suppose to forward this email, perhaps it is more effective to post here.

Due credit is given to the maker.

.......................................................................................................................................... MAY BE Maybe. . we were supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift. Maybe . . . it is true that we don't know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives. Maybe . . . the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can't go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures and heartaches. Maybe . . you should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy. Maybe . . . the happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. Maybe .. . . the best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had. Maybe . . . happiness waits for all those who cry, all those who hurt, all those who have searched, and all those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of all the people who have touched their lives. May be . . you should do something nice for someone every single day, even if it is simply to leave them alone. Maybe . . . there are moments in life when you miss someone -- a parent, a spouse, a friend, a child -- so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real, so that once they are around you appreciate them more. Maybe giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but, if it doesn't, be content that it grew in yours. Maybe .. . . you should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of, and want to do. "Life is only traveled ONCE; Today's MOMENT becomes Tomorrow's MEMORY. Enjoy every moment, good or bad, because the GIFT of LIFE is LIFE itself."

Did I Buy a "Dead Ringer" in Guangzhou?

While I was in Guangzhou last month, my travelling cohort bought two sport items from this shop, namely basket ball and badminton racket. These two items were not in my shopping list, but the prices were too attractive to give it a miss.

The boss admitted that this bag was a fake but given as a goodwill.

The basketball was well dressed and accompanied with an authentically verifiable certificate.

The retail price printed at RMB 280

The model of my purchased basketball is listed in the Spalding.com.cn website.

The moment of Truth.

The 16 digits found on the card were rejected by the website as it had already being used or registered by someone else.

As per para 4 found on the overleaf of the certificate, it says that the verification number can only be registered once. This clause is silent on the authenticity of the product.

My dear readers, can you be the Sherlock Holmes for this case?

By the way, I paid RMB60 for this basketball. My friend told me a similar product was sold for RM200 in Kuala Lumpur.

AM I BEING FLEECED FOR THE MAXIS DATA USAGE

Usually I don’t scrutinize too much on the phone e-statement if I feel that the monthly bill is within the norm of my usage. However, this February bill showed a higher usage that warranted me to take a closer look. This mysterious item silently appeared as Maxis Mobile Internet which is shown below:-

I was slapped RM127.24 for 15.714KB. Upon checking my iphone, I realized that my iphone did some hand-shaking with the Maxis’s GPRS.

I called 123 and spoke to the Maxis Consultant about this extra ordinary item in my statement. The consultant gave me some vague answers as follows:-

1. I did make a request to cancel the 3G service on Jan, 2009.
2. The 3G service was activated via my iphone on 17 Dec, 2009.
3. The 3G service could be activated by sending *136# or deactivated with *136#4#.

On checking all the available records that transpired on 17 Dec, 2009, I could not find the lead on why the phone was activated with internet service.

The only conclusions that I could draw from all the possible circumstantial evidences are as follows:-

• My friend did a prank on me, keyed in the *136# using my iphone.
• The Maxis Computer System activated itself the service without my knowledge.
• I keyed in the *136# myself during my sleep.
• Someone had cloned my sim card and activated the system.

Can the learned reader offers any better postulation on why my phone was activated?

Would you want to pay about RM8 for 1 MB for internet usage?