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2018 Math Kangaroo

Problem 13

Problem 13 · 2018 Math Kangaroo Hard
Logic & Word Problems casework

A lion hides in one of three rooms. The note on room 1 reads “The lion is not here.” The note on room 2 reads “The lion is here.” The note on room 3 reads “2 + 3 = 5.” Exactly one of the three notes is true. In which room is the lion?

Show answer
Answer: A — Room 1
Show hints
Hint 1 of 2
Notice the note on door 3 (2 + 3 = 5) is simply a true statement on its own.
Still stuck? Show hint 2 →
Hint 2 of 2
Since exactly one note is true, that forces the other two to be false; read off where the lion must be.
Show solution
Approach: use the always-true note to fix the count
  1. The note on room 3 says 2 + 3 = 5, which is true by itself.
  2. Exactly one note is true, so room 3's note is the true one and the other two are false.
  3. 'The lion is not here' on room 1 being false means the lion IS in room 1; 'the lion is here' on room 2 being false agrees.
  4. The lion is in Room 1.
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