Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!oddjob!gargoyle!ihnp4!homxb!homxc!lewisd
From: lewisd@homxc.UUCP (D.LEWIS)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Beyond Mr.P & Mr.S.
Message-ID: <1111@homxc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Sep-87 12:45:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: homxc.1111
Posted: Thu Sep  3 12:45:06 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Sep-87 11:20:50 EDT
References: <668@xn.LL.MIT.EDU> <1064@homxc.UUCP> <1065@homxc.UUCP> <1238@pdn.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel
Lines: 34
Summary: flogging a dead horse

In article <1238@pdn.UUCP>, colin@pdn.UUCP (Colin Kendall) writes:
> In article <1295@houdi.UUCP>, marty1@houdi.UUCP (M.BRILLIANT) writes:
> > > .....  It is true that the key is in realizing
> > > that the salesman can come up with two or more answers ...
> > > ..... but that when he is told that the oldest
> > > daughter is not a twin the answer is unique.
> 
> In the original story, the reference made by the mother
> to the respective ages of her daughters is:
> 
> 	"mother:   OK, you're right, I made it tough on you, but I have to go
> 	now and drive my oldest daughter to her piano lesson."
> 
> If the ages of the daughters are 1, 2, and 10, she has an oldest
> daughter. The various solvers seem to have made the 
> assumption that the other two daughters are the same age.
> 
> > I don't know what this has to do with AI.  It's a test of real
> > intelligence.  Who else solved it without a scrathpad?
> 
> I did, by refraining from making an unwarranted assumption.

So the house number is 20, and the solution is 
unique.  Why didn't the salesman reply
immediately?  He missed the quick kill because the information
was insufficient at first.  Only after the quote above did he have
enough info.

PS: There is also a unique solution with the sum of the ages equal to 14,
I believe.
-- 

David B. Lewis    {ihnp4!}homxc!lewisd
201-615-5306 Eastern Time, Days.