Bored? Help me with a puzzle!

Marielle0430 · October 2009

I'm playing a game on my DSi and I don't want to use any more of my hints so maybe you ladies can help me with this one. I've tried 3 different answers and they were wrong. I know I'll feel dumb once the answer is revealed but here goes:

Three people at odds with one another are running for mayor in the upcoming town election. Including these three candidates, the town has a voter population of 40 people. In order to win, a candidate must get more votes than any other candidate.

If each of the 40 voters casts a single vote and every vote is recognized, what is the fewest number of votes a candidate needs to secure victory with certainty?

ladipale · October 2009

14?

PaminNB · October 2009

Have you tried 19?

Brags0607 · October 2009

I would guess 21 assuming the other candidate gets 19 and the third gets zero.

MrsJinNH · October 2009

i say 14 also

mrs.spears26 · October 2009

ladipale:
14?

that's what i think. it seems too easy, like i'm missing something though.

JamieAndJoe · October 2009

14

CarrieBrad · October 2009

Ouch, that hurts! Indifferent

Jill070707 · October 2009

Brags0607:
I would guess 21 assuming the other candidate gets 19 and the third gets zero.

I think so, too.

PaminNB · October 2009

I'm thinking 19 because each candidate would vote for him/herself. That leaves 37 votes and the majority of 37 is 19.

Marielle0430 · October 2009

Ok...woops. Sorry I should have posted the answers that I have already tried -that would help right lol.

It's not 13, 14, or 15. At first I thought it's a total of 43 (with the 3 candidates) until I reread and saw that it said including the 3 candidates there are 40, so I tried it with 40, then I figured well maybe the candidates can't vote so I tried 37 -all divided by 3 to get the smallest number but nope!

Jill070707 · October 2009

It can't be 14 with certainty, because if I got 14 votes, it could be that a second candidate got 26 and the other 0.

mrs.spears26 · October 2009

PaminNB:

I'm thinking 19 because each candidate would vote for him/herself. That leaves 37 votes and the majority of 37 is 19.

this makes more sense

Mysh · October 2009

mrs.spears26:
PaminNB:

I'm thinking 19 because each candidate would vote for him/herself. That leaves 37 votes and the majority of 37 is 19.

this makes more sense

This is what I was thinking... try 19!

Brags0607 · October 2009

Wait.. now I am thinking!! It would be 20 votes to win, with candidate two getting 19 and cadidate three getting one (his own vote) I forgot the candidates can vote too!

locash · October 2009

Jill070707:
It can't be 14 with certainty, because if I got 14 votes, it could be that a second candidate got 26 and the other 0.

This is right. It can't just be the number of votes divided by three plus one. It has to be the majority, like another poster said. There can't be enough votes left to allow one candidate to win if the other gets zero.

Edit - my vote is 19.

Edit again - I change it to 20, b/c you have to add back in the candidate's own vote.

ladipale · October 2009

Jill070707:
It can't be 14 with certainty, because if I got 14 votes, it could be that a second candidate got 26 and the other 0.

yeah, its not 14. did you try 21? if the person gets 21 votes, there is no way either other candidate can get more.

if they can assure 19 independent votes, that works as well. but what if one candidate votes for the 2nd guy to force a tie?

so i say 21 counting his own, 20 without

PaminNB · October 2009

Wait...Now I'm thinking 20...19 votes plus the candidate's vote.

Marielle0430 · October 2009

Lol...ughhhh!

I just tried 19 and 21 and it's wrong Tongue Tied

crystalmarcellin · October 2009

I am no good at puzzles Embarrassed

ladipale · October 2009

Brags0607:
Wait.. now I am thinking!! It would be 20 votes to win, with candidate two getting 19 and cadidate three getting one (his own vote) I forgot the candidates can vote too!

yeah, but lets say this is the case:

A gets 20

B gets 19

C decides to give his vote to B so A doesn't win!

then A needs 21

Mysh · October 2009

C1: 1 vote for themselves + 19 votes = 20

C2: 1 vote for themselves + 18 votes = 19

C3: 1 vote for themselves = 1

20 + 19 + 1 = 40

I change my vote to 20.

PaminNB · October 2009

ladipale:

Jill070707:
It can't be 14 with certainty, because if I got 14 votes, it could be that a second candidate got 26 and the other 0.

yeah, its not 14. did you try 21? if the person gets 21 votes, there is no way either other candidate can get more.

if they can assure 19 independent votes, that works as well. but what if one candidate votes for the 2nd guy to force a tie?

so i say 21 counting his own, 20 without

Yeah...But they said the three candidates were at odds. I'm assuming they put that in the puzzle to say that they wouldn't vote for each other.

Marielle0430 · October 2009

Brags0607:
Wait.. now I am thinking!! It would be 20 votes to win, with candidate two getting 19 and cadidate three getting one (his own vote) I forgot the candidates can vote too!

THANK YOU!!!! It was 20! Here's their explanation:

The winner has to have at least 20 votes for a certain victory. Since each of the candidates dislikes the other two, each will likely vote for themselves. Forty votes minus those 3 votes leaves 37. The winner will need over hald the votes - in this case, a minimum of 19 additional votes. Add the winning candidate's personal voteand you get 20 votes.

Great job those of you who chose 20!!

DaniLovesPink · October 2009

14.

Marielle0430 · October 2009

LindsRockies:
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box huh?? I love that game. The answer is 20!!

Yes! Lol...I find myself using lots of hints for the tougher ones. My DH would breeze right through this game. My brain works differently.

Have you tried playing Hotel Dusk? That was a fun game!

Marielle0430 · October 2009

LindsRockies:
Marielle0430:

LindsRockies:
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box huh?? I love that game. The answer is 20!!

Yes! Lol...I find myself using lots of hints for the tougher ones. My DH would breeze right through this game. My brain works differently.

Have you tried playing Hotel Dusk? That was a fun game!

No, I haven't played that one! I should check it out, I am still trying to get through Professor Layton. That game is HARD!!!

I'm no good at puzzles really. I give up easily and cheat or use the hints alot (lmao). Hotel Dusk was more of a mystery game (a LOT of reading, which I don't mind) but it was pretty tough sometimes.

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Bored? Help me with a puzzle!

FET to TTC #2: 9/29/14 Beta on 10/8/14 = BFP!

DS #1 Born 1/3/11 after IVF #1

4 failed IUIs, including 1 CP

PCOS

TTC since 2008

Re: Bored? Help me with a puzzle!

FET to TTC #2: 9/29/14 Beta on 10/8/14 = BFP!

DS #1 Born 1/3/11 after IVF #1

4 failed IUIs, including 1 CP

PCOS

TTC since 2008

FET to TTC #2: 9/29/14 Beta on 10/8/14 = BFP!

DS #1 Born 1/3/11 after IVF #1

4 failed IUIs, including 1 CP

PCOS

TTC since 2008

FET to TTC #2: 9/29/14 Beta on 10/8/14 = BFP!

DS #1 Born 1/3/11 after IVF #1

4 failed IUIs, including 1 CP

PCOS

TTC since 2008

FET to TTC #2: 9/29/14 Beta on 10/8/14 = BFP!

DS #1 Born 1/3/11 after IVF #1

4 failed IUIs, including 1 CP

PCOS

TTC since 2008

FET to TTC #2: 9/29/14 Beta on 10/8/14 = BFP!

DS #1 Born 1/3/11 after IVF #1

4 failed IUIs, including 1 CP

PCOS

TTC since 2008

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