Third Place WINS!
What follows is a discussion about this famous math puzzle:
https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/687272/a-three-way-duel-probability-puzzle
You don’t have to understand a whole lot – we live with it daily
We have a 3 way duel here …
Only one will survive the encounters.
They all know the capabilities of each other.
There may be ‘rules of engagement’ but … – this is war …
If monster1 is 90% lethal, monster2 is 80%, and nerd only 50%.
What can nerd do to make it more likely to be the survivor?
It can be done! – not impossible! – read on!
Consider encourage nerd to do the following:
Encourage the 2 monsters to duke it out hard, and get blood all over the floor.
Then take on the winner, who is hopefully badly weakened.
Don’t get involved until one monster is dead.
Cause each monster to believe the other is cheating
Encourage tempers tantrums.
Call them both ‘stupid brutes’.
Attempt to kiss them both.
Accuse them each of stealing the advantage by cheating.
Challenge their ‘manhood’.
Suggest that they are ‘soft’.
Comment on how they hold themself. (limp wrist and all)
Demand that they speak up and assert themselves.
Ask if they are afraid.
Ask if they have doubts about their capabilities.
Suggest that the other says that their ‘mother wears combat boots’ & is ugly
The nerd is a non-combatant, only indirect involvement … until …
Being aware, being prepared, being capable, being able, being woke, being connected, …
When the time and situation is right – without hesitation, ‘flight’ turns suddenly into ‘attack’ and
The chances of nerd’s survival is about 50-50
Much better, than either brute’s chances – by far
So … we have someone able to think clearly, in a difficult situation, motivated to design a strategy for survival, using the enemies strength to advantage, choosing a difficult action (inaction), to increase survival likelihood, and
live another day
What do you think the lesson is for you?
Does this resonate, sounding familiar?
What 3-way conflicts might be comparable (Coke, Pepsi, DrPepper), (Dem, Rep, Ind), (USA,USSR,China), (Christians,Muslims,Jews), …?
…And Furthermore …
If you combine this approach with the ‘critical mass’ blog, you might make a substantial impact!
With much help from:
Martin Gardner of Scientific American’s, Mathematical Puzzles column
and from the wonderful designs at thingiverse.com, like:
Cartoon Knight – Idle – LV1 by frederico4d
Bernard – Day of the Tentacle by pixelprotest
Wave Frequencies & PHASE
The following is a discussion of the famous subway train puzzle described in:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/game/math-puzzle-subway-conundrum
You don’t have to know much to appreciate the thoughts here.
Two trains stop at the same platform, each runs every 10 minutes
The 1st Blue train is at 7:01 and 1st Green train is at 7:09
Assuming that you always arrive at the station randomly (no time bias) & take the next train ….
What percentage of the time would you expect to go Blue train?
Why then, … would you end up taking the Blue train 80% of the time?
To help visualize the situation … draw, what’s called, a time-line covering maybe an hour,
Show the arrival of all trains. Notice that they are not evenly spaced, with longer delays between certain trains …
What does that say about your random arrival plan …
Remember this when dealing with waves (which is almost all the time)!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_modulation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modulation_(music)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modulational_instability
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_modulation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modulation_(disambiguation)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modulation_index
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modulation_order
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_offset_modulation
PHASE Matters!
…And Furthermore…
This thought process about wave cycles provides a very powerful predictor of future events. Take, for example, how studying the cycles of celestial bodies movements allows the extremely accurate prediction of eclipse events,
With special thanks to:
Martin Gardner and his Scientific American column on Mathematics
and thingiverse.com designs like:
Quai de gare – Station platform Marklin Z échelle scale: 1/220 by phildc
Ticket to Ride custom DC Metro train car by Whirlypie
What Color is the Bear?
The following is a discussion of the famous bear color puzzle described in:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/game/math-puzzle-walk-around
You don’t have to know much to appreciate the thoughts here.
You start at a point on the earth’s surface, go South a distance, turn & go East a distance, turn and go North, where you’ll return to the starting point
A little review of earth geometry might help (but not necessary):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_direction
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latitude
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude
After taking that walk, the puzzle says that you see a bear.
Now the question is:
What color is the bear?
OK … here’s the spoiler … white.
Most people stop here … thinking that they have solved the puzzle
The “Obvious to Even a Casual Observer’ answer is that you started from the North Pole
But …
What would you think, if I said that the North Pole is only one of an infinite number of places on the surface where this situation could happen. Would smoke come out of your ears? Would you lose sleep pondering it? Would you ask for help? If so … Read On.
What about going all the way around the earth going East?
…And Furthermore…
If a variable length of the ‘east’ walk (and the ability to walk on water) is permitted … there is no point on the earth’s surface that couldn’t satisfy this puzzle.
With special thanks to:
Martin Gardner and his Scientific American column on Mathematics
and thingiverse.com designs like:
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