this post was submitted on 06 May 2025
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Science Memes

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[–] bratorange@feddit.org 28 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (3 children)

This can also be used a great example of proof by contradiction: There is no correct answer in the options. Proof: Assume there was a correct answer in the options. Then it must be either 25%, 50% or 60%. Now we make a case distinction.

(A) Assume it was 25. Then there would be two of four correct options yielding in a probability of 50%. Therefore 50 must be the correct answer. -> contradiction.

(B) Assume it was 50. Then there would be one of four correct options yielding in a probability of 25%. Therefore the answer is 25. -> contradiction.

(C) Assume it was 60%. Since only 0,1,2,3 or 4 of the answers can be correct the probability of choosing the right answer must be one of 0% 25% 50% 75% or 100%. -> contradiction.

Because of (A), (B) and (C), it cannot be 25, 50% or 60%. -> contradiction.

[–] Natanael@infosec.pub 2 points 5 days ago

Cheeky answer - the correct answer is a superposition of 25% and 50%, thus you answer it as a multiple choice question

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[–] olafurp@lemmy.world 17 points 5 days ago

You can never answer this question correctly. If the correct answer is 25% there's a 50% chance you guess correctly but that would make the 25% wrong.

But if the answer is the 50% then it implies that 25% is correct which implies that 50% is wrong.

We reach a contradiction for both 25% and 50% making the correct answer to make the whole statement truthy 0%.

[–] brown567@sh.itjust.works 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

0%

The only winning move is not to choose

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[–] Tiger666@lemmy.ca 11 points 6 days ago

Thanks for making me laugh all alone in my car before heading in to work. I wish I could give you an award. Cheers!

[–] technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

If you're choosing the answer, then there is 100% chance of being correct. Since none of these answers is 100%, the chance is 0%.

[–] Klear@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago

That logic would only hold if I wasn't dumb as rocks.

[–] AGD4@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago
[–] sqgl@beehaw.org 6 points 6 days ago

It was only the next day that I returned to this post realising that "this question" isn't even defined.

[–] seeigel@feddit.org 11 points 6 days ago (1 children)

What's the correct value if the answer is not picked at random but the test takers can choose freely?

[–] chillhelm@lemmy.world 7 points 6 days ago

All answers are correct then.

[–] lmuel@sopuli.xyz 6 points 6 days ago (2 children)
[–] zkfcfbzr@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

It is 33% if the answer itself is randomly chosen from 25%, 50%, and 60%. Then you have:

If the answer is 25%: A 1/2 chance of guessing right

If the answer is 50%: A 1/4 chance of guessing right

If the answer is 60%: A 1/4 chance of guessing right

And 1/3*1/2 + 1/3*1/4 + 1/3*1/4 = 1/3, or 33.333...% chance

If the answer is randomly chosen from A, B, C, and D (With A or D being picked meaning D or A are also good, so 25% has a 50% chance of being the answer) then your probability of being right changes to 37.5%.

This would hold up if the question were less purposely obtuse, like asking "What would be the probability of answering the following question correctly if guessing from A, B, C and D randomly, if its answer were also chosen from A, B, C and D at random?", with the choices being something like "A: A or D, B: B, C: C, D: A or D"

[–] bampop@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Any answer is correct as long as you don't pick it at random. I'd choose (a) because I'm too lazy to read the other options

[–] Nounka@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

I would think a b c d so 25% O he made a mistake znd forgot to take the bubble answer out. Now we only can pick between aord b c so it would be 33%

Seems my logic is wrong iff i read the rest

[–] TacoButtPlug@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] Thteven@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

When in doubt, C it out.

[–] nuko147@lemm.ee 2 points 6 days ago

I choose 75%

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