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Dying Cows


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17 cows.

a cow is a cow, dead or alive.

Some times you have to think outside the box like vanango did here. He's got it right. The problem simply stated that the cows died not that the farmer had disposed of them yet!

Edited by tahoe rich
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your joking right? Its beyond obvious, 8
Properly formatted that should have read: You're joking, right? It's beyond obvious, 8.

I just love the people who use names and make fun of others. Spelling does count if you are going to make fun of others, as does grammar, capitalization, and syntax. As far as those people making arrogant statements, grow up!!! This is NOT the math quiz page. It wasn’t even a math question. It was a Brain Teaser / LOGIC question. And logically, there is only one correct answer. Reading the question again for those of you stuck in the kiddy math mode, trying to impress others with their understanding of simple math, and possibly not yet capable of LOGICAL thought:

“A farmer has 17 cows, all but 9 die. How many did he have left? “

To the person who mentions directions as on the left or on the right…adding words to any logic problem changes the problem. The word left in this question is synonymous with REMAINING. The question does not specify whether “left” meant that (what we can only LOGICALLY assume were) the cows the farmer had in the beginning were dead or alive. (He could have had 50 chickens left too but that is not a logical assumption although it might be a correct answer.)

Therefore, the most LOGICAL and correct answer is:

The farmer has 9 live cows and 8 dead cows for a total of 17 cows left.

If you think it is a stupid question with a simple answer you are probably missing the intent of the question and you are being simple and stupid.

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Oh my gosh..... I just would like to thank the following people for the best quotes of the "dying Cow" saga

scuttill: the perfect one liner

Yes, but in his grief he had a lot of steak ... ;-)

tambay: For being the first to stick her neck out there..... (we never did see her after that....)

"All but 9 what? If you mean all but 9 cows die. Clearly, he has 8 cows alive.

This is like a kiddy math problem"

vanango:For being "that person" you know the kind I mean....

" a cow is a cow, dead or alive."

courtney ohlmann: For her dizzying intellect: no nine included....... hmmm......

"If a farmer has 17 cows, and all but nine die, then he would have eight left. I am still trying to figure out how some people came out with nine cows are alive. 17-9=8, there is no nine included.

kim0nster: I think she is serious.....

"your joking right? Its beyond obvious, 8"

RSAntilles, brhan, NymphCRF250, AquilaLupus: Thank you. You will know why....

Very entertaining read through......

oh by the way, 9.

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A farmer has 17 cows all but 9 die. How many did he have left

I think I need to through my hat in here. The riddle says, "...all but 9 die..." Only eight of them can die, but are not dead. The other 9 are immortal. So he still has a total of 17 none of the 8 mortal cows have died yet.

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Three possible answers:

1. 9 cows... (the obvious one)

2. 17 cows (8 dead cows and 9 alive...)

(3). ONE cow (the one named "9").... -> this one is my favourite

as for the "over-racionalization" and consequent arguments on a question in this kind of puzzle... guys, get a job!!!!!!! this is a puzzle, not rocket scinece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited by joaopsr
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People are pointing out and ridiculing the grammar of replies but not pointing out the lack of grammar in the riddle.

"A farmer has 17 cows all but 9 die. How many did he have left" - original

A farmer has 17 cows all, but 9 die. How many did he have left? = 8 left alive (the wording sounds strange but so does Shakespeare sometimes)

A farmer has 17 cows. All but 9 die. How many did he have left? = 9 left alive

I recognize the 17 cows answer too. I really like the answer with the cow named "9" which means only one survived.

My initial answer was also 9 but honestly it has a bunch of potential answers. It seems less of a riddle but more of an argument starter.

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Indeed , he has nine left alive, but the question is how many does he have left. Aren't all the cows both dead and alive his. Though eight are dead he still has 17 cows, does he not?

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Indeed , he has nine left alive, but the question is how many does he have left. Aren't all the cows both dead and alive his. Though eight are dead he still has 17 cows, does he not?

Sadly, this isn't true anymore. The dead cows must be disposed of within 24hours after death. Since the question was posted a year ago, those unfortunate dead cows are long gone and only the 9 immortals remain.

Or this sick and twisted farmer will have a lot of explaining to do about stacks of rotting beef to his neighbors and local gov't with Mad Cow and other disease so devastating livestock supplies...

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Come on everyone get with it. There are no cows left because there never were any cows to begin with. This is all just a brain teaser and no real cows were used here and no real cows were harmed in the course of this brain teaser. (Had to add that last part just in case the ASPCA got involved) Now since we got that straight I am gonna go make 8 burgers and when I am finished eating them I will have 9 (NINE) left.

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The answer could be anything from 0-17, he could of disposed of 3 cows but not yet disposed of the other dead ones. That means he could have 14 cows. Or he could of disposed of the eight dead ones and given the rest away (afraid they would die of what killed the others). That means he could have 0.

But, at first I thought the answer was 9 left. (when I glanced I thought it was 8 :P )

The obvious answers are (in order): 9,17,and 1 (9 could be the name of the cow)

Ok 1 is not so obvious.

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In post #5 Brain bashed answered his own question, did he not? w/out a spoiler I might add

:o

I will admit for some reason at first I too thought it was the 17 - 9 = 8 answer, then I felt kinda (below the standard average) when I re read it sloooowly..."all but 9 left" seems pretty obvious to me but than again I am from IDAHO!! you want a potato with that? lol

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