[Mamabear]

Someone posted this on FB and I had to share it because someone told me repeatedly my answer was wrong (it wasn’t). Just wondering if the myth that accountants are good at math is true. 🙂 Who knows the answer?

A group of students attend a math club. Half of the students are boys. 3/9 of the boys have brown eyes. What fraction of the group are boys with brown eyes?

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[Anonymous]

1/2 * 3/9 = 3/18 = 1/6?

[Anonymous]

3/18 aka 1/6?

I had a former coworker as a complicated-yet-simple question (meaning long and drawn-out, but basic addition and subtraction once you understood the question), and when I gave an answer, he replied simply with “Check your math”. I did, came back to him, same answer. This went on for a bit, and then I caught the twinkle in his eye – he wasn't saying I was wrong, just to “check your math”. The whole point was to pester me with thinking I'd made a mistake. 😉 Not sure if that's what your FB friend was doing but that's what your post made me think of!

[Mamabear]

1/6 is correct!

@Lilla–That's funny. I'm going to start telling people that to make them doubt themselves. 🙂 Sadly, that was not what this person was doing. They were absolutely convinced that it was 1/3. Multiple times we went back and forth about who was right. It was a fun break from studying tax law, says the former Algebra tutor. 🙂

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[jeff]

True Story that stumped several nurses in my extended family:

My sister-in-law's dog had 5 puppies.

They were in a large dog pen.

They pooped in the large dog pen.

Someone bought one of the 5 puppies.

Question: What was the reduction in poop?

That person then brought the puppy back.

Question: What was the increase in poop?

[JamesBJames]

P(boy) = 1/2

P(brown eyes|boy) = 1/3

P(boy AND brown eyes) = P(boy) * P(brown eyes|boy) = 1/2 * 1/3 = 1/6

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REG: August 29th, 2014 - 88

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[Mamabear]

@Jeff–Maybe I'm being too literal, but I'm going to go with no reduction and no increase. If the question had been “What was the reduction of poop in the pen?” then that would have been an unsolvable riddle. The puppy is still going to poop, just not in the pen. Or knowing you–it's not a riddle at all and you're just trying to see what people say about it. Hmmmm.

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[jeff]

Don't be literal 🙂

What is the reduction/addition of poop in the pen?

[Mamabear]

OK then 1/6th?

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[jeff]

No 🙂

[Mamabear]

I got nothin. I have to sleep now, but I will check in the morning to see the answer.

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[jeff]

5 dogs

Then 4 dogs

Then 5 dogs

🙂

[M.O.D.]

1/5 reduction = -20%

1/4 increase = +25%

BA Mathematics, UC Berkeley
Certificates in CPA and EA preparation, College of San Mateo
CMA I 420, II 470
FAR 91, AUD Feb 2015 (Gleim self-study)

[Anonymous]

Well you weren't exactly clear because one could assume there were 6 total dogs in the pen after the older dog had 5 puppies 🙂

[jeff]

Details…details… 🙂

[Mamabear]

Yep–I thought Mama dog was in the pen too.

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[Author]

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