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1道简单数学题却有4种答案?连老外都懵圈了

2017-11-28来源:和谐英语

Are you a mastermind mathematician ? Try your hand at this puzzle—and you won't even need a calculator to solve it. This problem may be billed as an “easy” brainteaser for children, but it has left even the most advanced puzzle solvers scratching their heads.
你是一位擅长谋划的数学家吗?试试这道谜题,你甚至不需要计算器就可以解决它。对孩子们来说,这个难题也许“很简单”,但它还是让最优秀的解谜者们感到困惑。

If you ask most Internet users, you'll find that there is a huge range of possible answers. People have argued that the final number could be anything from 14 to 15 to 16 to 20.
如果你问一下多数网友,你就会发现有许多可能的答案。大家争论道,最终的答案可能是14,15,16或20中的任何一个。

At first glance, those who answered 16 appear to have it right. Let's do the math, as explained by the problem:
乍看之下,回答16的那些人似乎是正确的。根据这个问题给出的信息,我们一起算一下:

3 apples = 30, so 1 apple = 10.
3个苹果=30,所以1个苹果=10

10 + 2 bananas = 18, so 2 bananas = 8 and 1 banana = 4.
10+2捆香蕉=18,所以2捆香蕉=8,1捆香蕉=4

4 – 1 coconut = 2, so 1 coconut = 2.
4-1个椰子=2,所以1个椰子=2

Therefore, 1 coconut + 1 apple + 1 banana = 2 + 10 + 4 = 16
因此,1个椰子+1个苹果+1捆香蕉=2+10+4=16

It’s not quite that easy, though. If you take a closer look at the photos, you’ll notice that each bunch of bananas contains four bananas. However, the one in the final equation only has three bananas. Same goes for the coconut; while the third equation has one coconut, the last one has only one-half of a coconut.
然而,这个问题并没有那么简单。如果你仔细看看图片,你就会注意到,每捆香蕉有4根。然而,最后一个等式里的香蕉只有3根。椰子也是一样的,第三个等式里有一个椰子,但最后一个等式里只有半个椰子。

Keeping those details in mind, let’s try again.
考虑到这些细节,我们再试一次。

3 apples = 30, so 1 apple = 10.
三个苹果=30,所以1个苹果=10

10 + 8 bananas = 18, so 8 bananas = 8 and 1 banana = 1.
10+8根香蕉=18,所以8根香蕉=8,1根香蕉=1

4 – 1 coconut = 2, so 1 coconut = 2.
4-1个椰子=2,所以1个椰子=2

Therefore, 1/2 coconut + 1 apple + 3 bananas = 1 + 10 + 3 = 14.
因此,1/2个椰子+1个苹果+3根香蕉=1+10+3=14

So, the correct answer is 14. Right?
所以,正确答案是14。对吗?

Well, actually, due to the puzzle’s vague instructions, “there are an infinite amount of possible answers,” Dr. Kevin Bowman said.
好吧,实际上,因为这个谜题的说明很含糊,所以“有许多可能的答案”,凯文·鲍曼博士说道。