Brain Teasers
The Gardner Sisters I
Probability
Probability puzzles require you to weigh all the possibilities and pick the most likely outcome.Probability
Gretchen and Henry were discussing their new neighbors, the Gardners. Gretchen mentioned that she met two of the daughters, and they each had blond hair.
"I have met all of the sisters," replied Henry, "and the probability that both of the girls you met would have had blond hair, assuming you were equally likely to meet any of the sisters, is exactly 50%. Do you know how many children there are?"
After thinking for a minute, Gretchen asks if the family is abnormally large. When Henry replies that it is not, Gretchen tells him how many girls are in the family. What number did she say?
"I have met all of the sisters," replied Henry, "and the probability that both of the girls you met would have had blond hair, assuming you were equally likely to meet any of the sisters, is exactly 50%. Do you know how many children there are?"
After thinking for a minute, Gretchen asks if the family is abnormally large. When Henry replies that it is not, Gretchen tells him how many girls are in the family. What number did she say?
Answer
Gretchen said that there were 4 girls in the family, three of whom were blond.This would make the probability that she saw two blonds (3/4) * (2/3), which equals 1/2.
Other numbers would work, but the next pair would lead to a rather large family.
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