Set 13

Basketball Shot Contest

by

A special basketball shot is made by James 20% of the time, by Kristy 30% of the time, and by Hannah 40% of the time. A game is played in which the players shoot consecutively and the first player to make the shot wins. If the order of shooting is first James, then Kristy, and then Hannah, which of the following statements are true?

  1. Kristy wins most often.
  2. Because Hannah is best at making this shot, she is more likely to win than
    Kristy.
  3. James will win least often.
  4. James, Kristy and Hannah all win the same number of games.
  5. James will win at least as often as either of the others.
  1. b, e
  2. d
  3. a, c
  4. b, c
  5. They are all false.

Continue reading Basketball Shot Contest →

Wind Turbine Height on Approach

by

The top of an off-shore wind turbine can be sighted from the deck of your yacht from a point 252 meters from the base of the wind turbine with an angle of elevation that doubles as you sail 172 meters closer to the base of the wind turbine. How tall is the wind turbine?

  1. 144
  2. 150
  3. 12 √161
  4. 152
  5. 13 √143

Continue reading Wind Turbine Height on Approach →

Subsistence Allowance, Passport

by

A notice goes up on the company bulletin board:

“All those who have not already received their subsistence allowance this week should report to the Deputy Assistant Bursar (D.A.B.) at 9 am next Monday, unless they also failed to get it last week, in which case they should not report to anybody anywhere, unless they are over 21 and/or have a maternal grandmother who is still alive, in which case they should either report to the Substantive Acting Registrar at 10 pm on Tuesday or to the D.A.B. at 12 noon on Wednesday according to whether their surname begins with a letter in the first half of the alphabet or not, unless their paternal grandmother does not have or did not have a passport, in which case they should report to the Warden as soon as possible, unless they have already passed their driving test and/or do not have a bicycle, in which case they should take a couple of aspirins and go quietly home to bed.”

Ms. Zola Hooberry, age 20, has not received her subsistence allowance this week or last. She has a bicycle but has not passed her driving test. Both her grandmothers are still alive and have passports.

What should she do?

Continue reading Subsistence Allowance, Passport →