Brain Teasers
Packing For Pluvia
Kemal and his parents are part of an expedition that is going to settle a new planet, called Pluvia Three. Kemal knows that at the colony site on the planet, the average temperature is 45 degrees Centigrade, average wind speeds are 8,000 meters per hour, the planet rotates on its axis 431 times for every time it goes around its sun, and each rotation takes a third longer than Earth's. Rainfall is 254 centimeters per year, and gravity is about 78% of Earth's. Kemal is allowed to pack any four items from this list of his favorite belongings.
down-filled parka
battery-powered portable refrigerator
Asian fighting kite
baseball bat
Mickey Mouse® calendar watch
inflatable raft
hockey skates
book collection
Which four items should Kemal pack?
down-filled parka
battery-powered portable refrigerator
Asian fighting kite
baseball bat
Mickey Mouse® calendar watch
inflatable raft
hockey skates
book collection
Which four items should Kemal pack?
Hint
Assemble and interpret your data carefully. Make comparisons between Pluvia and Earth.Answer
Kemal should pack his inflatable raft, refrigerator, baseball bat, and books.45 degrees Centigrade = 113 degrees Fahrenheit
8,000 meters per hour = 8 km per hour = 5 miles per hour
431 revolutions (days) > 365 days in an Earth year
254 cm = 100 in. of rainfall
You can use an encyclopedia, the World Wide Web, or a call to your local weather station to get weather information for the place where you live. You will see that the Pluvia Three colony is very hot, not at all windy, and very wet.
Clearly, it is too warm for the parka or the hockey skates, and there is not enough wind to fly the kite. The Mickey Mouse® watch won't be much use since the planet has a different calendar from Earth's 365 days per year and 24 hours per day.
On the other hand, with all that rainfall, there must be lakes and seas where a raft would come in handy. Kemal would want to keep his snacks cool, so the refrigerator would be useful. It would be possible (and probably fun) to play baseball on a planet with lower gravity, although Kemal and his friends might want to make the diamond bigger than it would be on Earth because the ball will fly farther. Finally, you can read books anywhere. That's one of the nice things about them.
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please put any comments her i want to know your feed back!
Good job. I didn't get the answer but I've never been good at math. That teaser had a lot of thought put into it. Very impressive.
while it was easy to eliminate the parka and skates, as well as the watch, the others are open for interpetation.
What good is a bat without the rest of the equipment?
A 5 MPH wind can fly a kite, so I'd substitute the kite for the bat.
What good is a bat without the rest of the equipment?
A 5 MPH wind can fly a kite, so I'd substitute the kite for the bat.
A good review of conversions. I, too, felt the list might be better if altered to read a "bat and ball." Your reasoning for the book was just about what I said to myself: "Why not?"
i didnt really get it ................until i looked at the answer
I'd opt for the parka to have something cofortable to sleep on during the long nights. I'd probably be too tired on an expedition in that heat to want to play baseball.
Bud
Bud
thank you everybody
OK I WOULD TAKE THE FRIDGE AND SURE THE BOOKS. WHILE IT PROBABLY WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO TAKE THE BASEBALL BAT IT WOULD BE TOO HOT TOO PLAY (ESPECIALLY ON A OVERSIZED FIELD) BUT THE BAT WOULD BE USEFUL IN OBTAINING EXTRA BATTERIES FOR THE FRIDGE. NOW THAT I THINK OF IT i COULD GET WHATEVER I NEEDED WITH A BASEBALL BAT
very good ,,a little quirky with the baseball and books, not really problem solving , but still a very good teaser
Extremely well thought out. This is the sort of problem I would give my students to see whether they have mastered conversions or not.
That was really good. The only one that I could figure out was the book because I know that he could read there.
Aug 31, 2005
1 or 2 of the answers are given...I think the others are a matter of opinion.
nice one
im not so sure id bring the baseball bat with me. What would be the point of playing baseball on a planet? Y not bring like a compass or something
two out of five isnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn't bad. I loss my train of thought. A great deal of water on a planet with longer days, very little gravity. Oh, b/c if its more gravity then one would really need a raft, so as not to stand too long.
Thank You I love this website, and I am so happy that I found it. Thanks for Remembering.
I am learning to recognize other members as well. Hope to meet you all in the chat room some day.
I am learning to recognize other members as well. Hope to meet you all in the chat room some day.
Now that was a great teaser!!! I definitely got a lot of enjoyment out of that one. Keep up the good work.
This was fun though I didn't agree with the raft. When you think that a year there is nearly twice as long on that planet then on Earth, you've only got about 12 cm of rain a month, which won't be turning into big lakes and rivers at 45 degrees celcius. that's just going to flash into steam when it hits the rock.
All i am going to say is that it was definately different. In a good way maybe but definately different. Oh and i did not get it 2day.
amazing. would have never guessed this one. kudos to you it was excellent.
i did get it but it took a while..very nice one
good teaser to wake up to /took a while but i got it. thanks & have a blessed day
nice teaser i got it on my 1st try i jus picked wat i would have brought i really liked it
That was fun. First teaser I got in a l-o-n-g time. Had to look up the conversions, but that's what the Web is for, right? Thanks.
A bit too hot for baseball. Otherwise, a good puzzle (and the first challenging daily I've discovered thusfar!)
Good one.....I didnt get it....but it was a good one.
Oct 14, 2005
Surely the reason for taking the books is because the nights are longer and he will need something to do!
that was hard ..but i have never been good at things like that maybe i will do better next time
it was a hard but good hard.I used to be great math but your teaser has let me know that I am losing my fire. I must go back to my roots to remember stuff like that. It was still good keep them coming and maybe next time i'll get it.
Very good teaser. Lot of calculations involved witha little bit of research to. Keep em coming
There is no correct/incorrect answer here other than the math conversions - which is not part of the question. All of the answers are up to interpretation or opinion of what someone wants to do anyway. There is clearly no right or even any single wrong answer. AVG wind speed of 5 mph suggests just that - an AVERAGE, not a constant wind, maybe its calm some days, maybe its 10-15 MPH other days. I could go on and on...
I picked Jacket, Raft, Kite and Bat. You would need a jacket. You body would get used to the high day time temperature and when it drops durring the long night you would feel cold. And if you went exploring toward the poles.... Plus, didn't your mother tell you to never go anywhere without a jacket?
There is a lot of water on the planet. The raft will come in handy. But how do you propell it?
You use the bat as a mast and the kite as a sail. 5MPH winds are light. But should still be enough to fill a sail. And it beats paddling with your hands.
There is a lot of water on the planet. The raft will come in handy. But how do you propell it?
You use the bat as a mast and the kite as a sail. 5MPH winds are light. But should still be enough to fill a sail. And it beats paddling with your hands.
Great teaser!!!
I eliminated the Mickey Mouse watch, parka, and hockey skates, but can't you flt a kite in 5 mph per hour winds???
I would rather have the kite han the bat because it would be too hot to play.....
- the balla
I eliminated the Mickey Mouse watch, parka, and hockey skates, but can't you flt a kite in 5 mph per hour winds???
I would rather have the kite han the bat because it would be too hot to play.....
- the balla
Its funny reading peoples comments. They look way to much into this. The correct answers are obvious. Based on averages. It is not asking you about hypothetical situations regarding cold nights or possibly windy days. Based on the facts given as a contstant, what would be taken. You would need the fridge to keep your food cold, the parka would be too hot, especially down, and the bat would be really the only thing logically: to name a few. And its not that you would use it, it never said you would use the items you took.
Great teaser. Fun and a little challenging.
Great teaser. Fun and a little challenging.
I'm with VikingBoy - I'll take the kite. I also agree with Teacher Myers - a very engaging way to check students' conversion knowledge.
Enjoyed the teaser...made me use some brain cells.
I thought it was great!
ya. i agree, particularly about the baseball (hey, in lower gravity, I might actually be good at it. Sort of. Maybe) and especially, totally, and completely about the books. Now notes about other people's comments (who cares if they never look at this page again)
1. jbray: if you don't have to use the items you take, there would be no teaser because you (or watever the person's name is) could take any four items from the list. Your evil twin would unpack it anyway.
2. dodgerh8ter: You could use the raft on a river, where the currents would carry you. that way you don't really need the bat or the kite. The temperature probably doesn't drop enough to be really cold. and anyway, it's not like these will be the only things
3. DocFriday: I agree. but the explanation does make sense. I mean, why would you want to bring a down-filled parka to a planet where the average temperature is 113 degrees fahrenheit? and don't even start to TALK about averages. Yes, it COULD be 200 degrees on some days. That still doesn't mean you should bring a parka.
4. (at least i think it's four) cleothemuse: play indoors with air conditioning. That won't affect the gravity. Unless you make it. But we won't get into that.
5. Master Yoda: Why not play baseball on a planet? I do every year in Phys. Ed. What's wrong with it?
6.Viking Boy (and others): What else besides a bat do you really NEED? A ball. Things can be substituted for it. Goodness, hit papayas! But bringing a ball would be good too. I guess.
7. NTaliesen: Good point. Wow, there's so much to think about here!
K, great teaser!
1. jbray: if you don't have to use the items you take, there would be no teaser because you (or watever the person's name is) could take any four items from the list. Your evil twin would unpack it anyway.
2. dodgerh8ter: You could use the raft on a river, where the currents would carry you. that way you don't really need the bat or the kite. The temperature probably doesn't drop enough to be really cold. and anyway, it's not like these will be the only things
3. DocFriday: I agree. but the explanation does make sense. I mean, why would you want to bring a down-filled parka to a planet where the average temperature is 113 degrees fahrenheit? and don't even start to TALK about averages. Yes, it COULD be 200 degrees on some days. That still doesn't mean you should bring a parka.
4. (at least i think it's four) cleothemuse: play indoors with air conditioning. That won't affect the gravity. Unless you make it. But we won't get into that.
5. Master Yoda: Why not play baseball on a planet? I do every year in Phys. Ed. What's wrong with it?
6.Viking Boy (and others): What else besides a bat do you really NEED? A ball. Things can be substituted for it. Goodness, hit papayas! But bringing a ball would be good too. I guess.
7. NTaliesen: Good point. Wow, there's so much to think about here!
K, great teaser!
ya. i agree, particularly about the baseball (hey, in lower gravity, I might actually be good at it. Sort of. Maybe) and especially, totally, and completely about the books. Now notes about other people's comments (who cares if they never look at this page again)
1. jbray: if you don't have to use the items you take, there would be no teaser because you (or watever the person's name is) could take any four items from the list. Your evil twin would unpack it anyway.
2. dodgerh8ter: You could use the raft on a river, where the currents would carry you. that way you don't really need the bat or the kite. The temperature probably doesn't drop enough to be really cold. and anyway, it's not like these will be the only things
3. DocFriday: I agree. but the explanation does make sense. I mean, why would you want to bring a down-filled parka to a planet where the average temperature is 113 degrees fahrenheit? and don't even start to TALK about averages. Yes, it COULD be 200 degrees on some days. That still doesn't mean you should bring a parka.
4. (at least i think it's four) cleothemuse: play indoors with air conditioning. That won't affect the gravity. Unless you make it. But we won't get into that.
5. Master Yoda: Why not play baseball on a planet? I do every year in Phys. Ed. What's wrong with it?
6.Viking Boy (and others): What else besides a bat do you really NEED? A ball. Things can be substituted for it. Goodness, hit papayas! But bringing a ball would be good too. I guess.
7. NTaliesen: Good point. Wow, there's so much to think about here!
K, great teaser!
1. jbray: if you don't have to use the items you take, there would be no teaser because you (or watever the person's name is) could take any four items from the list. Your evil twin would unpack it anyway.
2. dodgerh8ter: You could use the raft on a river, where the currents would carry you. that way you don't really need the bat or the kite. The temperature probably doesn't drop enough to be really cold. and anyway, it's not like these will be the only things
3. DocFriday: I agree. but the explanation does make sense. I mean, why would you want to bring a down-filled parka to a planet where the average temperature is 113 degrees fahrenheit? and don't even start to TALK about averages. Yes, it COULD be 200 degrees on some days. That still doesn't mean you should bring a parka.
4. (at least i think it's four) cleothemuse: play indoors with air conditioning. That won't affect the gravity. Unless you make it. But we won't get into that.
5. Master Yoda: Why not play baseball on a planet? I do every year in Phys. Ed. What's wrong with it?
6.Viking Boy (and others): What else besides a bat do you really NEED? A ball. Things can be substituted for it. Goodness, hit papayas! But bringing a ball would be good too. I guess.
7. NTaliesen: Good point. Wow, there's so much to think about here!
K, great teaser!
oops i didn't mean to post it twice.
I would take my Mickey Mouse watch - even if it didn't help because just looking at Mickey would make me happy. And the comment about the books - wonderful - nothing like a good book - and yes, you can read anywhere. Thanks for a fun teaser.
I would take my Mickey Mouse watch - even if it didn't help because just looking at Mickey would make me happy. And the comment about the books - wonderful - nothing like a good book - and yes, you can read anywhere. Thanks for a fun teaser.
I did not have enough TIME to figure this out. too long for my liking!!!!!!!!!!SORRY
that was a VERY NICE teaser and 2 all u people that didnt like it yall r weird, i thot it wuz creative
I agree with POPS.I want to figure it out - not research an answer. Hard but not fun...sorry
I wouldn't rule out the calendar watch. Being on vacation somewhere where the days are not like back home... You might want to have something to remind you of the days at home, so you can remember to get home in time!
i ABSOLUTLUTELY haaaaatttteeeee doing conversions, that's why I've been holding my breath since I was like five years old hoping we wouldn't go to metric, and, it's worked!!!! we haven't!!!!!! But, if I was into that, I prob would've liked this one, it seemed fun. I have nothing to say about the various correct answers because I didn't invest any brain power in this one.
I rekon it was a realy good idea. I got it but it took lots of calculations! :p
Awsome. Totally Awsome. Had my brain going. Loved the challenged. Good work.
Peace )
WOW Great one, head hurts
Good Mercy! I didn't even try for that one! suppose I won't be going to Pluvia...Good grief that was hard!
I thought that was really good. I just messed up with the wind. I did the conversions for everything else, but didn't really notice that the wind was in meters per hour...anywayyy I liked it.
wow...That was hard. But then again, I've never been really good at math...
Oct 17, 2005
By that logic, why could you not select Peach, as impeach?
Oct 17, 2005
wrong teaser...oops
All choices could be useful (or not) since you give averages, not extremes. For example, the planet could be a lake for a short time if the all rain fell in a few days and a desert the rest of the year.
Also, you may need the parka since nights could be very cold depending on the atmospere. And you could always re-calibrate your watch to the new time. Same with the kite, some very windy days, others calm, etc. I would add female companionship as a necessity.
Also, you may need the parka since nights could be very cold depending on the atmospere. And you could always re-calibrate your watch to the new time. Same with the kite, some very windy days, others calm, etc. I would add female companionship as a necessity.
All choices could be useful (or not) since you give averages, not extremes. For example, the planet could be a lake for a short time if the all rain fell in a few days and a desert the rest of the year.
Also, you may need the parka since nights could be very cold depending on the atmospere. And you could always re-calibrate your watch to the new time. Same with the kite, some very windy days, others calm, etc. I would add female companionship as a necessity.
Also, you may need the parka since nights could be very cold depending on the atmospere. And you could always re-calibrate your watch to the new time. Same with the kite, some very windy days, others calm, etc. I would add female companionship as a necessity.
Good going!
I like the metric; I want to be able to use metric proficiently and this tested my ability.
I like the metric; I want to be able to use metric proficiently and this tested my ability.
I like the metric; I want to be able to use metric proficiently and this tested my ability.
YAY! I got the right ones. Not to difficult, exactly, but fun. I would take the bat (in response to an earlier comment) 'cause with the lower gravity, work is a bit easier, so the heat would be easier to stand, and the balls should fly much further. And, of course, noone should go anywhere without plenty of books to read.
wow i got a good joke, ty for all the comments
Coming for India I didnt have to do any conversions to figure out the atmospheric conditions as we follow metric system. Also coming from a city where summers have a maximum temperature crossing 49 degree centigrate, I knew how hot it will be.
For all those who said that average 45 degrees could still have extreme temperatures, I would suggest that for once they think about real world conditions on earth itself rather than theoretical mathematics. An average temperature of 45 degrees round the year across the planet would have almost no chance of cold nights or days. I can tell this because in my city the average temperature in summers is around 30 degrees and we still dont have any cold summer night.
For all those who said that average 45 degrees could still have extreme temperatures, I would suggest that for once they think about real world conditions on earth itself rather than theoretical mathematics. An average temperature of 45 degrees round the year across the planet would have almost no chance of cold nights or days. I can tell this because in my city the average temperature in summers is around 30 degrees and we still dont have any cold summer night.
Very good
My personal fave!
My personal fave!
Had to use the internet to convert the measurements, but enjoyed this unique teaser.
Take a bat? Not! I took the calendar/watch, and once I got there, I re-calibrated it to Pluvia time & day. You didn't say it was an ANALOG Mickey Mouse watch, and if you were picked to colonize another planet, you had to be smart, thus, you were mentally capable of modifying a digital watch.
Yeah, I know. My mind works in strange ways!
Yeah, I know. My mind works in strange ways!
Once you convert the math,the answer was quite obvious.
Go ahead shannmo make your nasty remark about my answer. I am bullet proof to blank heads that shoot blanks!!!
Go ahead shannmo make your nasty remark about my answer. I am bullet proof to blank heads that shoot blanks!!!
3 of the answers were no-brainers , but the 4th was a doozy. I never would have picked a baseball bat, although I suppose it could be used to knock fruit down from a tree, or club an annoying bug, which I suspect would be huge on Pluvia. Greatly enjoyed this teaser. Thanks.
I'll BE HONEST, THIS PUZZLE IS OVER MY HEAD.....
NICE1!!!
I loved everything about that teaser. Lots of fun, and some real thinking was involved. Yet it could be figured out with (mostly) the info given, and maybe just some simple math comparisons. Great job!
I am sure many of the people locatedin meteric countries, such as myself, had no problem with figuring this out fairly easily as the climate was immediately obvious, I too woul say however that it would be much too hot to play baseball.
I agree with vikingboy, 5 MPH is fine for flying a kite.
I never ever try these kind of teasers so I have no comment about it at all.
This was an interesting quiz, that really made me think by first having to mentally convert to non-metric, then decide on what he should bring.
However, that being said, I felt that the answers were rather subjective, based on "desire" and not specific need.
Yes it would be hot, but possibly the parka could be used for shade. Or the blades of the skates could be used for cutting or defensive purposes. The bat could be used as a hammer or for hunting, not just as a play toy. The spines on the kite could be used for hunting or fishing. The watch could be help for knowing timespans, although he might have to mentally adjust for accuracy. The refrigerator might be helpful for a while, but how long will that battery last?
However, I agree the books are a definite requirement! I am like the professor - I would take a full set of medical and science books on a 3-hour tour.
However, that being said, I felt that the answers were rather subjective, based on "desire" and not specific need.
Yes it would be hot, but possibly the parka could be used for shade. Or the blades of the skates could be used for cutting or defensive purposes. The bat could be used as a hammer or for hunting, not just as a play toy. The spines on the kite could be used for hunting or fishing. The watch could be help for knowing timespans, although he might have to mentally adjust for accuracy. The refrigerator might be helpful for a while, but how long will that battery last?
However, I agree the books are a definite requirement! I am like the professor - I would take a full set of medical and science books on a 3-hour tour.
I had to use DuckDuckGo to solve this.
I thought it was quite straight forward, no need for any conversions, but that's just me. Probably would have been better if the wind speed been lower; totally eliminating the possibility of Kite-flying? Thanks for the fun teaser!
I was looking way too far into this. I was thinking of survival on the planet, not which items could be used as their original purpose. ie. Skates could be converted to an ax / knife. If it were a Mini Mouse watch, it could provide female companionship on cold nights!
Doug, Minnie could provide female companionship for Mickey, or Mighty, but you? SHE'S A MOUSE!
OK, I see this teaser as a fun thinking exercise, but with no correct answers, because your choices depend on the assumptions you make. As an example, the fact that the average temperature is 113 F leads many to assume that it wouldn't get cold and so the jacket would not be needed. However, not only is it probable that there are extreme temperature variations between day and night (the longer days and nights might certainly produce that result), there could also be extremes between summer and winter. Every one of these selections might be a good choice depending on your assumptions. I really got a kick from the suggestion to use the bat and kite as a mast and sail for the raft ... very creative!
I agree with Doug. If they are joining an established colony then they could have time for leisure. But if they are settling a colony, they can't buy batteries for a refrigerator and won't have time for leisure trying to survive. I'd take the parka for shade, raft for shelter, skates for tooling. The books are interesting. If they are Dr. Seuss, leave them. If they are survival manuals, take them.
Minnie is a 10.
Minnie is a 10.
Fun and entertaining teaser; I guessed and got all four correct.
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