Trivia quesiton logic [closed]
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I am debating with a friend about how to interpret this trivia sentence.
When asked how old she is, Jane says:
"In two years, I will be twice as old as I was five years ago..."
Would the answer be eight because in 2 years Jane will be ten which is twice as old as she was five years ago? Or would it be 12 because in 2 years Jane will be 14 which is twice as old as she was five years ago from today?
So, is "the five years ago" portion of the question relating to today or 2 years from today?
Thank you for any help.
sentence-structure sentence-patterns
asked Dec 2 at 18:38
amdopt
1174
closed as off-topic by Michael Harvey, Janus Bahs Jacquet, user240918, Centaurus, Jason Bassford Dec 2 at 21:02
- This question does not appear to be about English language and usage within the scope defined in the help center.
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
I am debating with a friend about how to interpret this trivia sentence.
When asked how old she is, Jane says:
"In two years, I will be twice as old as I was five years ago..."
Would the answer be eight because in 2 years Jane will be ten which is twice as old as she was five years ago? Or would it be 12 because in 2 years Jane will be 14 which is twice as old as she was five years ago from today?
So, is "the five years ago" portion of the question relating to today or 2 years from today?
Thank you for any help.
sentence-structure sentence-patterns
asked Dec 2 at 18:38
amdopt
1174
closed as off-topic by Michael Harvey, Janus Bahs Jacquet, user240918, Centaurus, Jason Bassford Dec 2 at 21:02
- This question does not appear to be about English language and usage within the scope defined in the help center.
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
4
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it’s about logic, rather than English.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 2 at 19:13
It also seems to be about what "ago" means. Granted, a dictionary could have answered that.
– Michael Harvey
Dec 2 at 20:22
There is no "logic" in the riddle, just some simple arithmetic. It becomes trivial once you understand the meaning of "ago".
– Michael Harvey
Dec 3 at 19:46
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
I am debating with a friend about how to interpret this trivia sentence.
When asked how old she is, Jane says:
"In two years, I will be twice as old as I was five years ago..."
Would the answer be eight because in 2 years Jane will be ten which is twice as old as she was five years ago? Or would it be 12 because in 2 years Jane will be 14 which is twice as old as she was five years ago from today?
So, is "the five years ago" portion of the question relating to today or 2 years from today?
Thank you for any help.
sentence-structure sentence-patterns
asked Dec 2 at 18:38
amdopt
1174
I am debating with a friend about how to interpret this trivia sentence.
When asked how old she is, Jane says:
"In two years, I will be twice as old as I was five years ago..."
Would the answer be eight because in 2 years Jane will be ten which is twice as old as she was five years ago? Or would it be 12 because in 2 years Jane will be 14 which is twice as old as she was five years ago from today?
So, is "the five years ago" portion of the question relating to today or 2 years from today?
Thank you for any help.
sentence-structure sentence-patterns
sentence-structure sentence-patterns
asked Dec 2 at 18:38
amdopt
1174
asked Dec 2 at 18:38
amdopt
1174
asked Dec 2 at 18:38
amdopt
1174
asked Dec 2 at 18:38
amdopt
1174
asked Dec 2 at 18:38
amdopt
1174
1174
closed as off-topic by Michael Harvey, Janus Bahs Jacquet, user240918, Centaurus, Jason Bassford Dec 2 at 21:02
- This question does not appear to be about English language and usage within the scope defined in the help center.
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
closed as off-topic by Michael Harvey, Janus Bahs Jacquet, user240918, Centaurus, Jason Bassford Dec 2 at 21:02
- This question does not appear to be about English language and usage within the scope defined in the help center.
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
4
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it’s about logic, rather than English.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 2 at 19:13
It also seems to be about what "ago" means. Granted, a dictionary could have answered that.
– Michael Harvey
Dec 2 at 20:22
There is no "logic" in the riddle, just some simple arithmetic. It becomes trivial once you understand the meaning of "ago".
– Michael Harvey
Dec 3 at 19:46
add a comment |
4
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it’s about logic, rather than English.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 2 at 19:13
It also seems to be about what "ago" means. Granted, a dictionary could have answered that.
– Michael Harvey
Dec 2 at 20:22
There is no "logic" in the riddle, just some simple arithmetic. It becomes trivial once you understand the meaning of "ago".
– Michael Harvey
Dec 3 at 19:46
4
4
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it’s about logic, rather than English.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 2 at 19:13
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it’s about logic, rather than English.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 2 at 19:13
It also seems to be about what "ago" means. Granted, a dictionary could have answered that.
– Michael Harvey
Dec 2 at 20:22
It also seems to be about what "ago" means. Granted, a dictionary could have answered that.
– Michael Harvey
Dec 2 at 20:22
There is no "logic" in the riddle, just some simple arithmetic. It becomes trivial once you understand the meaning of "ago".
– Michael Harvey
Dec 3 at 19:46
There is no "logic" in the riddle, just some simple arithmetic. It becomes trivial once you understand the meaning of "ago".
– Michael Harvey
Dec 3 at 19:46
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
"Ago" means "earlier than the present time" or "before now". It is not used to talk about time before future events. Jane is twelve years old. For the answer to be eight, the riddle would be "In two years, I will be twice as old as I was five years before."
Ago (Collins Dictionary)
answered Dec 2 at 18:55
Michael Harvey
5,39111019
Thank you for the answer!
– amdopt
Dec 2 at 20:06
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
"Ago" means "earlier than the present time" or "before now". It is not used to talk about time before future events. Jane is twelve years old. For the answer to be eight, the riddle would be "In two years, I will be twice as old as I was five years before."
Ago (Collins Dictionary)
answered Dec 2 at 18:55
Michael Harvey
5,39111019
Thank you for the answer!
– amdopt
Dec 2 at 20:06
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
"Ago" means "earlier than the present time" or "before now". It is not used to talk about time before future events. Jane is twelve years old. For the answer to be eight, the riddle would be "In two years, I will be twice as old as I was five years before."
Ago (Collins Dictionary)
answered Dec 2 at 18:55
Michael Harvey
5,39111019
Thank you for the answer!
– amdopt
Dec 2 at 20:06
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
up vote
8
down vote
accepted
"Ago" means "earlier than the present time" or "before now". It is not used to talk about time before future events. Jane is twelve years old. For the answer to be eight, the riddle would be "In two years, I will be twice as old as I was five years before."
Ago (Collins Dictionary)
answered Dec 2 at 18:55
Michael Harvey
5,39111019
"Ago" means "earlier than the present time" or "before now". It is not used to talk about time before future events. Jane is twelve years old. For the answer to be eight, the riddle would be "In two years, I will be twice as old as I was five years before."
Ago (Collins Dictionary)
answered Dec 2 at 18:55
Michael Harvey
5,39111019
edited Dec 2 at 19:11
answered Dec 2 at 18:55
Michael Harvey
5,39111019
answered Dec 2 at 18:55
Michael Harvey
5,39111019
answered Dec 2 at 18:55
Michael Harvey
5,39111019
5,39111019
Thank you for the answer!
– amdopt
Dec 2 at 20:06
add a comment |
Thank you for the answer!
– amdopt
Dec 2 at 20:06
Thank you for the answer!
– amdopt
Dec 2 at 20:06
Thank you for the answer!
– amdopt
Dec 2 at 20:06
add a comment |
4
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it’s about logic, rather than English.
– Janus Bahs Jacquet
Dec 2 at 19:13
It also seems to be about what "ago" means. Granted, a dictionary could have answered that.
– Michael Harvey
Dec 2 at 20:22
There is no "logic" in the riddle, just some simple arithmetic. It becomes trivial once you understand the meaning of "ago".
– Michael Harvey
Dec 3 at 19:46