http://clevermsbennet.livejournal.com/ (
clevermsbennet.livejournal.com) wrote in
fandomhigh2009-11-05 04:33 pm
Entry tags:
Logic, Reason and Critical Thinking, Class 9: Period 4, Thursday, November 5
"Sir Arthur Conan Doyle," Miss Bennet began, "writing as his famous detective Sherlock Holmes, declared: Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains -- no matter how improbable -- must be the truth. The statement has a certain elegance to it. The difficulty is in determining what is impossible, and what is merely highly unlikely. In some situations, it's rather more clear, whereas on this island ... impossible seems to be taken as a challenge."
It was easy for her to joke about such matters; it had, after all, been weeks since she had been male, or carried about an oversized axe.
"Today I thought perhaps I would be kind, and play a simple with all of you. Of course, as I'm still your cruel and heartless teacher, it is logic-related. The game's strategy is one of which Sir Conan Doyle would approve: that is, eliminating the impossible, and arranging the possibilities left until the contradictions and assertions leave one with the truth.
"The first game is what's known as a logic problem." She uncovered the blackboard to reveal a grid, one that would be familiar to any who regularly played those games. She also began passing out papers with that same grid placement, that the students might play along without having to draw boxes in their notebooks. "We will start with several statements about ladies going to tea:
From these seemingly unconnected statements, I assure you, you will be able to discern the full names of all participants, the order in which they arrived, and what baked goods they enjoyed on their visit."
She smiled at her students. "So how are we to begin?"
(ETA: I mistyped originally, so if you want to solve the puzzle, please note the tweaks to the statements.)
It was easy for her to joke about such matters; it had, after all, been weeks since she had been male, or carried about an oversized axe.
"Today I thought perhaps I would be kind, and play a simple with all of you. Of course, as I'm still your cruel and heartless teacher, it is logic-related. The game's strategy is one of which Sir Conan Doyle would approve: that is, eliminating the impossible, and arranging the possibilities left until the contradictions and assertions leave one with the truth.
"The first game is what's known as a logic problem." She uncovered the blackboard to reveal a grid, one that would be familiar to any who regularly played those games. She also began passing out papers with that same grid placement, that the students might play along without having to draw boxes in their notebooks. "We will start with several statements about ladies going to tea:
1) Jane arrived before Lady Babcock, but after the lady who enjoyed scones.
2) Jane -- who was either Mrs. Becket or Miss Brewster -- arrived second.
3) Emma arrived after Jane, and immediately before the lady who was fond of raspberry jam.
4) Mrs. Whitcomb arrived immediately before the lady who liked currant buns, but Mrs. Whitcomb was not the first to arrive.
5) The first lady to arrive was neither Mrs. Becket nor Lady Grayson.
6) Anne arrived after Mary but before Catherine.
7) Lady Babcock did not arrive last or like the clotted cream, but one of those two statements is true about Mrs. Whitcomb.
From these seemingly unconnected statements, I assure you, you will be able to discern the full names of all participants, the order in which they arrived, and what baked goods they enjoyed on their visit."
She smiled at her students. "So how are we to begin?"
(ETA: I mistyped originally, so if you want to solve the puzzle, please note the tweaks to the statements.)

Re: Speak to the TAs [LOG-9]