In a bizarre phenomenon, the Lesser Fool consistently selects the smaller amount despite being offered two options. But what’s behind this enigmatic behavior?
The Lesser Fool: A Math Puzzle of Unbelievable Reliability
Understanding the Enigma
In a fictional town, an odd wanderer known as the Lesser Fool would be presented with two amounts of money or goods and asked to determine which is greater. Despite being offered the option to choose either amount, ‘To answer so reliably, you must know which amount is larger,’ the child said. “So why do you always take the smaller?” The Fool only smiled.
In finance, the lesser fool theory suggests that an investor can make a profit by buying assets at inflated prices from greater fools who are willing to pay more.
This concept is based on the idea that there will always be someone willing to pay a higher price for an asset, regardless of its actual value.
The lesser fool may sell their asset at a lower price than they bought it for, but still make a profit compared to the greater fool who paid even more.
The Paradoxical Puzzle
The Lesser Fool’s behavior has puzzled people from afar, who have attempted to test him with various questions. From convoluted currency exchanges to complex mathematical calculations, the Fool has always managed to arrive at the correct answer – “the lesser amount.”
A Closer Look at the Questions
Let’s examine some of the questions posed to the Lesser Fool:
- A business tycoon asked which was greater: twelve thousand and twelve dollars, or eleven thousand eleven hundred and eleven dollars.
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A grandmother inquired about the value of 19/200 of a pie compared to 29/300 of it.
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A bank teller sought to determine whether one kilogram of quarters was more valuable than twenty-five kilograms of pennies.
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A clockmaker asked which was greater: a penny for every second in a month, or a penny for every hour in a century.
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An engineer compared the tenth root of $10 to the cube root of $2.
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A lawyer presented two envelopes with different amounts of money and asked which contained more.
The Enigmatic Answer
Despite the complexity of these questions, the Lesser Fool‘s answer has always been the same – “the lesser amount.” But why? What is behind this enigmatic behavior?
Bonus Questions
One day, a child approached the Lesser Fool and asked for an explanation. ‘To answer so reliably, you must know which amount is larger,’ the child said. “So why do you always take the smaller?” The Fool only smiled.
Can you answer the child’s questions?
- sciencenews.org | Math puzzle: The Lesser Fool
