Lateral Thinking Questions

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ANSWER: L.T.Q. #24  !
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Date: Wed, 06 Dec 1995 16:55:00

When I delivered the questions, I said: I don't know if I'm having a bad week or what, but I could sure use a drink! Anyone care to join me?

The only response I got was: "Are you buying?" But then no one took me up on the offer!

Here is this week's question:

Picture a litre of milk and a litre of Kahlua. A cup of Kahlua is poured into the milk and mixed thoroughly. Then, a cup of this mixture is poured back into the Kahlua. Is the amount of Kahlua now in the milk more, less, or the same as the amount of milk in the Kahlua?

ANSWER:

Surprisingly enough there would be the same amount in each. This old puzzle is often tackled using mathematical formulas, or the much easier and sudden 'Aha!' It would appear that the milk would contain more Kahlua than the Kahlua would contain milk because in the second pouring, the mixture is no longer pure. However, since there is once again a full litre of each liquid, whatever amount of Kahlua that was removed had to be replaced with the same amount of milk. The key to this puzzle is realizing that we are still left with two one-litre containers of liquid.

I'm still not convinced this answer is correct, but short of "titration permutation calculation"  it would be difficult to determine precisely. And even then, it would be such a tight ration that the ultimate answer would be "Who cares? Just give me a drink!"

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