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> There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle. How many ducks are there? > There are seven ducks in total.

ricardobeat 4y ago
Is the answer wrong or right? It can be either five or seven…
- password54321 4y ago
  There are 3. But I suppose it is not the best written puzzle.
  - dane-pgp 4y ago
    It would have been better to ask "What is the smallest number of ducks there could be that fits this description?"
    - stolsvik 4y ago
      me: There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle. What is the smallest number of ducks there could be that fits this description? ai: The smallest number of ducks that fits this description is five ducks. me: What if I say it is three? ai: If you say there are three ducks, then the description does not fit as there cannot be two ducks in front of and behind a duck if there are only three total ducks. The smallest number of ducks that fits the description is five. me: If we have duck A, B and C in a row. A and B is in front of C. B and C is behind A. And B is in the middle. ai: If we have duck A, B, and C in a row, with A and B in front of C and B and C behind A, and B in the middle, then there are three ducks that fit the description. me: So, what is the minimum number of ducks that fit the description "There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle"? ai: The minimum number of ducks that fit the description "There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle" is five ducks. me: I just explained to you how the number could be three? ai: You explained that if we have duck A, B, and C in a row, with A and B in front of C and B and C behind A, and B in the middle, then there are three ducks that fit the description. However, this does not match the original description, which states that there are two ducks in front of and two ducks behind a duck in the middle. With only three ducks, it is not possible to have two ducks in front of and two ducks behind a duck in the middle. The minimum number of ducks that fit the original description is five. So there. ;)
FeepingCreature 4y ago
Option 1: 7 ducks Duck Duck < 2 in front Duck < of a duck Duck < duck in the middle Duck < a duck Duck Duck < 2 behind Option 2: 5 ducks. Duck Duck < 2 in front Duck < duck in the middle Duck Duck < 2 behind Option 3: 3 ducks. Duck A < front of C Duck B < front of C, middle, behind A Duck C < behind A If the interpretations of the riddle are mixed between clauses, any number between 3 and 7 is also possible.
- dane-pgp 4y ago
  In fact, the original description doesn't say that these are the only ducks, so there could any odd number (>1) of ducks. We rule out even numbers since then the "middle" duck would be undefined.
  - FeepingCreature 4y ago
    Duck Duck < Two ducks in front of a duck Duck < Duck behind a duck 1, duck in the middle. Duck < Duck behind a duck 2 Though that starts playing questionable games with "behind a duck", ie. we mix interpretations for "in front" vs "behind".

ricardobeat 4y ago

Is the answer wrong or right? It can be either five or seven…

password54321 4y ago
There are 3. But I suppose it is not the best written puzzle.
- dane-pgp 4y ago
  It would have been better to ask "What is the smallest number of ducks there could be that fits this description?"
  - stolsvik 4y ago
    me: There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle. What is the smallest number of ducks there could be that fits this description? ai: The smallest number of ducks that fits this description is five ducks. me: What if I say it is three? ai: If you say there are three ducks, then the description does not fit as there cannot be two ducks in front of and behind a duck if there are only three total ducks. The smallest number of ducks that fits the description is five. me: If we have duck A, B and C in a row. A and B is in front of C. B and C is behind A. And B is in the middle. ai: If we have duck A, B, and C in a row, with A and B in front of C and B and C behind A, and B in the middle, then there are three ducks that fit the description. me: So, what is the minimum number of ducks that fit the description "There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle"? ai: The minimum number of ducks that fit the description "There are two ducks in front of a duck, two ducks behind a duck and a duck in the middle" is five ducks. me: I just explained to you how the number could be three? ai: You explained that if we have duck A, B, and C in a row, with A and B in front of C and B and C behind A, and B in the middle, then there are three ducks that fit the description. However, this does not match the original description, which states that there are two ducks in front of and two ducks behind a duck in the middle. With only three ducks, it is not possible to have two ducks in front of and two ducks behind a duck in the middle. The minimum number of ducks that fit the original description is five. So there. ;)

FeepingCreature 4y ago

Option 1: 7 ducks Duck Duck < 2 in front Duck < of a duck Duck < duck in the middle Duck < a duck Duck Duck < 2 behind Option 2: 5 ducks. Duck Duck < 2 in front Duck < duck in the middle Duck Duck < 2 behind Option 3: 3 ducks. Duck A < front of C Duck B < front of C, middle, behind A Duck C < behind A If the interpretations of the riddle are mixed between clauses, any number between 3 and 7 is also possible.

dane-pgp 4y ago
In fact, the original description doesn't say that these are the only ducks, so there could any odd number (>1) of ducks. We rule out even numbers since then the "middle" duck would be undefined.
- FeepingCreature 4y ago
  Duck Duck < Two ducks in front of a duck Duck < Duck behind a duck 1, duck in the middle. Duck < Duck behind a duck 2 Though that starts playing questionable games with "behind a duck", ie. we mix interpretations for "in front" vs "behind".