Roses

[Guest]

I have a number of roses for sale. The first buyer bought half of my roses then I gave him additional one for free. The second buyer bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free. The third buyer also bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free, this time all of my roses has been sold out.

How many roses do I have?

[Guest]

14, I believe....

14/2 = 7 - 1 = 6

6/2 = 3 - 1 = 2

2/1 = 1 - 1 = 0

[Guest]

absolutely correct.

[Guest]

14

[Guest]

I have a number of roses for sale. The first buyer bought half of my roses then I gave him additional one for free. The second buyer bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free. The third buyer also bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free, this time all of my roses has been sold out.

How many roses do I have?

eight

[Guest]

I have a number of roses for sale. The first buyer bought half of my roses then I gave him additional one for free. The second buyer bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free. The third buyer also bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free, this time all of my roses has been sold out.

How many roses do I have?

You dont have any roses.... remember you sold all of them.

[Guest]

I have a number of roses for sale. The first buyer bought half of my roses then I gave him additional one for free. The second buyer bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free. The third buyer also bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free, this time all of my roses has been sold out.

How many roses do I have?

0

[Guest]

{[(x/2-1)/2]-1}/2-1 = 0

{[(x/2-1)/2]-1}/2 = 1

[(x/2-1)/2]-1 = 2

(x/2-1)/2 = 3

x/2-1 = 6

x/2 = 7

x = 14

But, of course, now I have 0 roses.

[unreality]

as others have said, lol, you HAVE 0, but you HAD 14

0+1 = 1

*2 = 2

+1 = 3

*2 = 6

+1 = 7

*2 = 14

14 roses

[Guest]

14 is the correct answer but.....the question should've been stated : How many roses did I have to start with?

[Guest]

I agree with the answer of 14, HOWEVER, the question was "How many roses do I have?" Well, after you have given your last one away, you now have ZERO, NADA, ZIP, ZILCH. . . . .

[Guest]

14 woo finally one i could do xxx

[itachi-san]

What's with all the 14 answers? The answer is zero.

[Guest]

Acutally the question reads "How many roses DO I have?" The answer is none..... You gave them ALL OUT....... the answer would be 14 IF the answer asked "How many roses DID I have?"

[akaslickster]

NEVER HAD A MENTIONED SUM.

[Guest]

I have a number of roses for sale. The first buyer bought half of my roses then I gave him additional one for free. The second buyer bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free. The third buyer also bought half of the remaining roses then I gave him additional one also for free, this time all of my roses has been sold out.

How many roses do I have?

0 you sold them all! ???

[Guest]

0 you sold them all

[Guest]

The answer can't be 14. If that was the case than the first person would buy 5 1/2. How can you buy a half. If they want the beginning amount then the correct answer is 24.

First person: 1/2 +1 gave one away

2nd Person: 1/2 of a 1/2 (1/4) +1 gave one away

3rd Person: 1/2 of a 1/2 of a 1/2 (1/8) +1 gave one away

so 1/8th = 3 (that's how many he gave away)

3 x 8 = 24

[Guest]

The answer can't be 14. If that was the case than the first person would buy 5 1/2. How can you buy a half. If they want the beginning amount then the correct answer is 24.

5 1/2 is half of 11, not 14.

24 won't work because then you will run into a situation where the second buyer buys 5 1/2 roses. If selling fractions of roses is legitimate, the seller could never end up with 0 roses. Starting with 24, the seller would be left with 1 1/4.

[Guest]

0, but who knows? You could have gone and bought some more...

[Guest]

0. If you sold out, then you HAVE no roses.

[Guest]

started with 14 sold half plus one (8) to first customer

now have 6 sold half plus one (4) to second customer

now have 2 sold half plus one (2) to last customer

now have 0

started with 14 ended with 0