Mind Game (1)

Stella Tse & Others

6 July 2013

Stella Tse: MIND GAME

2% or 98%

This is strange...can you figure it out?

Are you the 2% or 98% of the population?

Follow the instructions! NO PEEKING AHEAD!

Do the following exercise, guaranteed to raise an eyebrow.

There's no trick or surprise.

Just follow these instructions, and answer the questions one at a time and as quickly as you can!

Again, as quickly as you can but don't advance until you've done each of them ... really.

Now, scroll down (but not too fast, you might miss something).

Think of a number from 1 to 10

Multiply that number by 9

If the number is a 2-digit number, add the digits together

Now subtract 5

Determine which letter in the alphabet corresponds to the number you ended up with (example: 1=a, 2=B, 3=c,etc.)

Think of a country that starts with that letter

Remember the last letter of the name of that country

Think of the name of an animal that starts with that letter

Remember the last letter in the name of that animal

Think of the name of a fruit that starts with that letter

Are you thinking of a Kangaroo in Denmark eating an Orange ?

I told you this was FREAKY!!  If not, you're among the 2% of the population whose minds are different enough to think of something else. 98% of people will answer with kangaroos in Denmark when given this exercise.

Keep this message going. This one is actually worth sending on to others..

Forward it to people you know so they can find out if they are usual or unusual.

Bob Choi: Like some magic tricks that depend on trap doors and mirrors, this mind game is all set up according to some math rules . It really has nothing to do with how your mind works.

Pony Ma: The trick is the number always ends up as 4, so the letter will always be D.

There are only four countries starting with D.  Except Denmark, the other three (Djibouti, Dominica, and Dominican Republic) will unlikely be chosen unless you are from those countries.  With the last letter K, the choices are also limited and the most well known is Kangaroo, with the next known being Koala (the remaining three being Komodo dragon, Kouprey and Kudu).  Therefore, if one chose Kangaroo, the only choice of fruit is Orange, unless you are a Koala lover.

Johnson Yue: Bravo! Pony, you should be a investigative reporter.  Thank you for answering all my questions.

Stella Tse: Thanks for the analysis, I figured that no matter what number you pick from to multiply with 9, the 2 digits always add to 9, and so on .... 

Actually I had Denmark, Kangaroo, but couldn't come up with orange, wonder if there is another fruit which starts with O, so I google for it, and there are a bunch of fruits, like okra, olive, etc, but orange is for sure the most popular choice.

Pony Ma: Stella, according to Google search on the list of fruits, only Orange is on it.

Stella Tse: Guess we went to different sites.  I do agree that okra is not really a fruit, and olive, maybe??

Tim Fook: Please refer to the explanation of a ‘ fruit’ in our Biology study. I think that olive can be defined as fruit but not as “fresh fruit” in daily living.

Simon: All of us have come up with some sort of explanations.  Gosh, your brains are really working well.

Alas, I got it all wrong.  I was thinking of Britain and tangerine.  Where did I go wrong?  I am that minority 2%?

Dr. Hon: Olives are the fruit of olive trees. While they are technically fruit, culinary, olives are often called vegetables because of how they are used.

Pony Ma: Simon, you must be that exceptional top 2% who would not follow instructions and think out of box with creative and breakthrough thinkings!

Rod: I remember a puzzle from our HS days:

There are 80 visually identical gold coins, except one is with impurity – lighter I assume.

With a beam balance, how would you find that coin. You can use the balance only 3 times.

Dinner on me for the first person post the solution, next time get together.

Stella Tse: Agree.

-To be continued-