Puzzles Test

1. There are 5 lanes on a race track. One needs to find out the 3 fastest horses among total of 25.
Find out the minimum number of races to be conducted in order to determine the fastest three.

Solution:

This puzzle tests interviewee’s approach to solving the problem. The approach entails
conducting 5 races where each race group would involve 5 horses. In the ensuing step, a sixth
race is conducted between winners of first 5 races to determine the 3 fastest horses (marked A1,
B1, A=and C1). The seventh race is conducted between horses B1, C1, second and third horse
from the horse A1’s group (A2, A3), second horse from horse B1’s group (B2). The horses that
finish 1st and 2nd in the seventh race are actually the 2nd and the 3rd fastest horses among all
horses.

2. There are 3 mislabeled jars, with apple and oranges in the first and second jar respectively.
The third jar contains a mixture of apples and oranges. You can pick as many fruits as required
to precisely label each jar. Determine the minimum number of fruits to be picked up in the
process of labeling the jars.

Solution:

This is another tricky puzzle where you must really churn your brain. A noticeable aspect in this
puzzles is the fact that there’s a circular misplacement, which implies if apple is wrongly labelled
as Apple, Apple can’t be labelled as Orange, i.e., it has to be labeled as A+O. We are acquainted
with the fact that everything is wrongly placed, which means A+O jar contains either Apple or
Orange (but not both). The candidate picks one fruit from A+O, and let’s assume he gets an
apple. He labels the jar as apple, however, jar labelled Apple can’t have A+O. Thus, the third jar
left in the process should be labelled A+O. Basically, picking only one fruit helps in correctly
labeling the jars.

3. There are 8 batteries, but only 4 of them work. You have to use them for a flashlight which
needs only 2 working batteries. To guarantee that the flashlight is turned on, what is the
minimum number of battery pairs you need to test?

Solution:

To solve this problem, the first step involves naming the batteries, for instance, A, B, C, D, E, F,
G, and H. In this problem, you can’t compare 2 items directly. If a combination of two batteries
fails to turn the light on, it means either one or both the batteries aren’t working. The candidate
has to approach the puzzle in a circular manner.

The batteries are put test consecutively in the order AB, BC, and AC. At most, one of the three
batteries between A, B, And C is working, only if none of the pairs work. This also implies that
at least three batteries between D, E, F, G, and H must be functional. DE combination is tried
next. If they don’t work, at least 2 out of F, G, and H must work. Similarly, try the combinations
FG, GH, and FH to positively asset which batteries really work.

4. 10 coins are placed before you on a table, while you stay blindfolded. The candidate is
permitted to touch the coins, however conditions to the puzzle dictates that he can’t really
determine which way up they are by feel. 5 coins are placed heads up, while the other 5 are kept
tails up, without the interviewee knowing which ones are which. If you’re allowed to flip the
coins any number of times, how would you build two piles of coins each with the same number
of heads up.

Solution:

This is another common analytics puzzle revolving around coins. This problem can be solved by
initially creating two piles of coin, with 5 randomly selected coins in each pile. Let’s assume the
first pile looks like H, H, H, H, T and the other pile can be imagined as T, T, T, T, H. The final
bit in solving the puzzle involves flipping all coins in the second pile to finally obtain same
number of heads. This common coin puzzles tends to pose confusion in the candidates mind.

5. Two trains, separated by a distance of 80km, are running towards each other on the same track
at a speed of 40kmph. A bird takes its flight from train X and flies towards train Y at a constant
speed of 100kmph. Once it reaches train Y, it turns and start flying back toward strain X. The
bird keeps flying to and forth till both the trains collide. Determine the distance travelled by the
bird.

Solution:

This is another common analytics-based puzzle where the candidate has to use his quick thinking
and mathematical skills to find the answer. Ideally the problem should take a minute for solving.
The problem can be solved mathematically in the following few steps:
Velocity of approach for two trains = (40+40)km/hr
Time taken for the trains to collide = 80km/80km/hr = 1hour
The total distance travelled by the bird = 100km/hr * 1hr = 100km
Through this puzzle, the interviewer is testing your approach. Consider yourself rejected if the
approach you took involves calculating distance from X to Y, and then Y to X, and so on.
6. A birthday cake has to be equally divided into 8 equal pieces in exactly 3 cuts. Determine the
way to make this division possible.

Solution:

This puzzle is not really difficult to solve if you really put your mind to work. The approach
entails slicing the cake horizontally down the centre, followed by making another division
vertically through the centre. The two divisions made across horizontal and vertical directions
will give you 4 equal pieces of the cake.

In the final step, simply stack the 4 pieces one above the other, and then make the third division,
splitting the stack into half. This gives you the 8 equal pieces of cake, along with answer to your
puzzle.

7. You pull out 2 balls, one after another, from a bag which has 20 blue and 13 red balls in total.
If the balls are of similar colour, then the balls are replaced with a blue ball, however, if the balls
are of different colours, then a red ball is used to replace them. Once the balls are taken out of the
bag, they are not placed back in the bag, and thus the number of balls keeps reducing. Determine
the colour of last ball left in the bag.

Solution:

This puzzle usually seems like a tough one to answer, but solving it once makes one realize that
the procedure was actually simple. If the candidate pulls out 2 red balls, he replaces them with a
blue ball. On the other hand, if he draws one red and one blue, it is replaced with a red one. This
implies that the red ball would always be in odd numbers, whether the candidate removes 2
together, or removes 1 while adding 1. This also indicates that the last ball to stay in the bag
would be a red one. The interviewer is merely testing the approach the candidate applies in
solving this common analytics puzzle.

 8. There are 2 jugs with 4 litres and 5 litres of water respectively. The objective is to pour
exactly 7 litres of water in a bucket. How can it be accomplished?

Solution:

This question can be rated of medium difficulty and shouldn’t ideally take more than 2 minutes
to answer. The approach here is to initially fill the 5L jug with water and empty the same into the
4L jug. The 5L jug will be left with 1L of water, which is poured into the bucket. Meanwhile,
empty the 4L jug.
The above step is repeated, so that the bucket now is filled with 2L of water. Finally, fill the 5L
jug with water and empty the same into the bucket. The bucket will now have 7L of water, as
you add % L directly to the previously collected 2L of water in the bucket.

9. There are 10 stacks of 10 coins each, where each coin weighs 10gms. However, one of the
stacks is defective, and that stack contains coins which weigh 9gms. Determine the minimum
number of weights needed to identify the defective stack.

Solution:

This is another tricky puzzle, asked commonly during analytics-based interviews. To solve this
problem, the trick lies in creating a weighted stack for measurement, which will enable the
candidate to identify the defective stack in one measurement.

A coin is taken from the first stack, 2 from the second, 3 from the third, and so on. This will give
a total of 55 coins in hand. If none of them are defective, they would weigh 550gms together.
However, if stack 1 turns defective, the total weight would stand at 549gms; defect in stack 2
would result in a total weight of 548gms; and so on. Therefore, just one measurement can help
the candidate identify the faulty stack.

10. There are 3 switches in a room, where one of them is assigned for a bulb in the next room.
You can’t see whether the bulb is on or off, until you leave the room. Find the minimum number
of times you have to go into the room to identify which switch corresponds to the bulb in the
other room.

Solution:

This question has been asked several times during different analytics-based interviews. The
person has to initially turn on the first switch and keep it on for 2-3 minutes. Next, turn off the
first switch and turn on the second one. Rush to the other room as soon as you turn on the second
switch.

If the bulb is glowing, the second switch corresponds to the light bulb; however, if the bulb
doesn’t glow, but touching it feels warm, the first switch is the one that turns the bulb on. If it’s
neither lit, nor warm, then the third switch is the desired switch. So, a person must go only once
to the other room to find out the accurate switch.

11. You are given two candles of equal size, which can burn 1 hour each. You haveto measure
90 minutes with these candles. (There is no scale or clock). Also u rgiven a lighter.

Solution:
First light up the two ends of the 1st candle. When it will burn out light upone end of the second
candle. (30+60=90)
12. Try the similar problem to measure 45 minutes.

Solution:

First light-up the two ends of the 1st candle and one end of the 2nd candle. When the 1st candle
will burn out ,then light up the both ends of the 2nd candle(15+30=45)

13. You r given a thermometer. What can u do by this without measuring the temperature?

Solution:

If u put thermometer into a tree it won’t grow anymore, will just die off.

14. How it is possible to place four points that are equidistance from each other?
OR
U r a landscape designer and your boss asked u to design a landscape such that you should place
4 trees equidistance from each other.(Distance from each tree to the other must be same)

Solution:

Only 3 points can be equidistant from each other. But if u place points in the shap

15. The sum of two numbers is ten. Their product is twenty. Can you find the sum of the
reciprocals of the two numbers?

Solution:

Given:

a+b =10 ——-(1)

 ab=20——–(2)
we need (1/a) +(1/b) =?
 It is simply obtained by dividing equation (1) by (2)
We get  (1/a) +(1/b) =(10/20) => 1/2.

16. What is the sum of all numbers between 100 and 1000 which are divisible by 14 ?

Solution:

 Numbers divisible by 14 in range 100 and 1000 are 112 are

    112, 126,140,…….994.
   S= 112+126+……..+994.
   S= 14(8+9+……+71)
     = [(14)(8+71)(71-8+1)/2]
    =7(79)(64)
    =35392.

17. A London monument is marked as follows:

MDCLXVI
What year does it represent?

Solution:

The given number is represented in Roman Numerals,

         In Roman Numerals Notation , we have 
         M=1000    D=500     C=100
         L=50            X=10       VI=6
        If we add all these together, the result is 1666.

18. Value of “S”

             S434S0 what number must be substituted with ‘S’ to make it divisible by 36? 

Solution:

If S434S0 is to be divisible by 36, then its also divisible by 4 and 9. To be divisible by  4, S S
must be an even number.
To be divisible by 4 and 9, sum of digits i.e 2S+11 is a multiple of 9. The digit ‘8’ is              the
only number that meets these two conditions. When we substitute ‘S’ with ‘*’   we get the
number as 843480

19. Missing Terms 

48,60,58,72,68,104 …….
 Here is a sequence. Can you find the two missing terms?

Solution:

It is twin sequence, in which even placed numbers forms one sequence and odd placed numbers
forms other sequence.
        48 , 58,68 , ?
     Next number is obatined by adding 10 to previous number. Therefore, 68+10 =78
       60,72,104,?
       Next number is obatined by adding 12to previous number. Therefore, 104+12=116
Therefore, next numbers are 78,116.
20. It was a long drive. I drove 60 kilometres at 30 kilometres per hour and then an additional 60
kilometres at 50 kilometres per hour.

Solution:

Time required for  the first sixty kilometres = 120 minutes.

         Time required for  the second sixty kilometres =72 minutes.
         Total time required =120+72=192 minutes.
         Average Speed= (Total Distance Covered)/(Total Time taken)
                                   = 120/192
                                   =0.625 Km/minute
                                  =0.625 x 60 / hour
                                  =37.5 Km/hr

Q: three bulbs in a room and outside three switch outside the room how to check which switch is
connected to which bulb. In room only one time entry in room?

Q. One person in a room no item available in the room how to suicide?

Q. Two Candle one candle burns in 60 mints how to calculate 45 minits.