# Trick Question
**URL:** https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594
**Category:** Scuttlebutt
**Created:** [February 8, 2013, 5:44am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594 "2013-02-08T05:44:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 5:44am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/1 "2013-02-08T05:44:57Z")
This problem is harder then it looks.
A bat and ball cost $1.10.
The bat costs one dollar more than the ball.
How much does the ball cost?
K.C.
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### Author:  [@Sweat-n-Grease](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Sweat-n-Grease)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 6:29am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/2 "2013-02-08T06:29:50Z")
[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;98023]This problem is harder then it looks.
A bat and ball cost $1.10.
The bat costs one dollar more than the ball.
How much does the ball cost?
K.C.[/QUOTE]
Say, I’m only on my second cup. I’ll be sure to get back at’cha.
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### Author:  [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 6:34am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/3 "2013-02-08T06:34:05Z")
[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;98026]Say, I’m only on my second cup. I’ll be sure to get back at’cha.[/QUOTE]
To solve this problem requires you optimize coffee consumption, don’t exceed and get too jumpy.
K.C.
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### Author:  [@New3M](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/New3M)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 6:34am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/4 "2013-02-08T06:34:47Z")
> [@"Kennebec Captain"](#):
>
> This problem is harder then it looks.
>
> A bat and ball cost $1.10.
> The bat costs one dollar more than the ball.
> How much does the ball cost?
>
> K.C.
Ball is $0.05.
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### Author:  [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/5 "2013-02-08T06:40:23Z")
[QUOTE=New3M;98029]Ball is $0.05.[/QUOTE]
How much coffee have you had?
K.C.
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### Author:  [@jdcavo](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jdcavo)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 6:41am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/6 "2013-02-08T06:41:49Z")
2x + 1.00 = 1.10
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### Author:  [@cappy208](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cappy208)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 6:51am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/7 "2013-02-08T06:51:09Z")
Wait a sec… I’ll go to a math forum and ASK someone else to tell me the answer.
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### Author:  [@Sweat-n-Grease](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Sweat-n-Grease)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 6:54am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/8 "2013-02-08T06:54:19Z")
[QUOTE=jdcavo;98032]2x + 1.00 = 1.10[/QUOTE]
WOW - How much coffee took you to this lofty plane?
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### Author:  [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 7:04am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/9 "2013-02-08T07:04:33Z")
…
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### Author:  [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 7:07am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/10 "2013-02-08T07:07:42Z")
[QUOTE=New3M;98029]Ball is $0.05.[/QUOTE]
impossible…where you gonna find a ball for 5 cents?
academy kids…
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### Author:  [@Fraqrat](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Fraqrat)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/11 "2013-02-08T07:11:01Z")
The bat and ball are included in the price of the video game aren’t they?
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### Author:  [@injunear](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/injunear)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 7:12am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/12 "2013-02-08T07:12:22Z")
Geeze…what a way to start the day. I got it right at first glance. Then on my 2nd cup, I questioned my call. I harkened back to my 9th grade algebra and confirmed my original call. During my morning constitutional, it bothered the crap out of me. So I googled it…Why do I have to over-complicate simple things?😃
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### Author:  [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 7:20am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/13 "2013-02-08T07:20:36Z")
let’s Pentagonize this question class…
A nano-molecular carbon fiber fully automatic inertial gyro controlled multimission joint services bat and nuclear powered stealth radar invisible drone ball cost $100000001.10.
How much money must Congress authorize in a special spending bill in order for Lockheed Martin to do R&D and for special manufacturing facilities so to outfit the entire Armed Forces with 10000 bats and 250000 balls given anticipated cost overruns of 250%?
bonus question, how much profit margin is too high for Lockheed Martin to make on this contract? (answer to this question is of course, there is NO profit margin that is TOO HIGH!)
.
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### Author:  [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 8:18am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/14 "2013-02-08T08:18:10Z")
[QUOTE=c.captain;98037]impossible…where you gonna find a ball for 5 cents?
academy kids…[/QUOTE]
[Fat Tony award](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludic_fallacy#Example_1:_Suspicious_coin) goes to c.captain.
K.C.
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### Author:  [@jdcavo](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jdcavo)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 9:44am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/16 "2013-02-08T09:44:00Z")
[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;98035]WOW - How much coffee took you to this lofty plane?[/QUOTE]
I used to be the head of the office that makes the exams at NMC. We love trick questions.
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### Author:  [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 9:52am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/17 "2013-02-08T09:52:37Z")
[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;98052]Fat Tony award goes to c.captain.[/QUOTE]
I accept that award with my usual humble gratitude…
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### Author:  [@Sweat-n-Grease](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Sweat-n-Grease)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 10:02am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/18 "2013-02-08T10:02:10Z")
[QUOTE=cappy208;98034]Wait a sec… I’ll go to a math forum and ASK someone else to tell me the answer.[/QUOTE]
I all ready went there, they are a strange but friendly bunch, couldn’t understand a thing they told me, I strongly suspect they were pulling my leg.
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### Author:  [@Sweat-n-Grease](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Sweat-n-Grease)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 10:10am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/19 "2013-02-08T10:10:20Z")
[QUOTE=jdcavo;98062]I used to be the head of the office that makes the exams at NMC. We love trick questions.[/QUOTE]
May I inquire what else was on the table for your enjoyment? I want my mind to be boggled, I’m strange that way.
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### Author:  [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 12:51pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/20 "2013-02-08T12:51:25Z")
5 cents is the correct answer.
10 cents is wrong because if the bat is a dollar more,( .10+1.00=1.10) the bat would be $1.10 making the total price $1.20. (1.10+.10=1.20)
This problem is interesting because the “obvious” answer, 10 cents is wrong and it illustrates a quirk in they way we think.
I first encountered (and got wrong) this problem in the book [Thinking Fast and Slow](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thinking,_Fast_and_Slow).
According to the book people have a strong bias for plausible narratives and prefer them to more probably scenarios. From chapter 9:
> A remarkable aspect of your mental life is that you are rarely stumped…The normal state of your mind is that you have intuitive feelings and opinions about almost everything that comes your way.
Another book that I enjoyed a lot more was:[“On Being Wrong”](http://beingwrongbook.com/)
The author Kathryn Schultz gives[an 18 minute TED talk here](http://www.ted.com/talks/kathryn_schulz_on_being_wrong.html)
If you’re wondering what this has to do with maritime affairs it’s about decision making. Something some mariners might be interested in.
K.C.
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### Author:  [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/trick-question/9594/21 "2013-02-08T13:11:06Z")
[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;98078]This problem is interesting because the “obvious” answer, 10 cents is wrong and it illustrates a quirk in they way we think.[/QUOTE]
No…it just indicates that people are stoopid and lazy and only want the answer which is easily obtained rather than correct.
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