1. Lesson 1

1.3. Explore 2

Mathematics 30-2 Module 1

Module 1: Logic and Set Theory

 

In Try This 2 you had the opportunity to apply a personal strategy to solve a puzzle. Perhaps your strategy will work for other types of puzzles.

 

Now look at a variation of a logic puzzle called Einstein’s Problem. It is one of the most famous logic puzzles known and has many different variations. It is reported that only 2% of the population can figure it out on the first try!

 

Did You Know?

Although the title of the logic puzzle is commonly known as Einstein’s Puzzle or Einstein’s Riddle, nobody is certain who actually created the piece. Some people say it’s doubtful that the mathematical genius Albert Einstein (1879–1955) created the puzzle because there are items referenced in the clues of the original puzzle that did not exist during Einstein’s lifetime.

 

Self-Check 1

 

This illustration is a cartoon of Albert Einstein.

© sarah5/27232067/Fotolia

Try your hand at this variation of the Einstein Problem.

 

There are five houses, each with a different colour. The home owners, each with a unique heritage, drink a certain type of beverage, eat a certain brand of dark chocolate, and keep a certain variety of pet. None of the owners have the same variety of pet, eat the same brand of chocolate, or drink the same beverage.
  • house colours: blue, green, red, white, yellow
  • nationalities: Brit, Dane, German, Norwegian, Swede
  • brands of dark chocolate: Chocolovel, Dagoba Eclipse, Green and Black’s, Scharffen Berger, Valrhona
  • beverages: coffee, juice, milk, tea, water
  • pets: birds, cats, dogs, fish, horse

From the clues provided, who owns the pet fish?

 

Clue 1: The Brit lives in the red house.

 

Clue 2: The Swede keeps dogs as pets.

 

Clue 3: The Dane drinks tea.

 

Clue 4: Looking from in front, the green house is just to the left of the white house.

 

Clue 5: The owner of the green house drinks coffee.

 

Clue 6: The person who eats Valrhona dark chocolate raises birds.

 

Clue 7: The owner of the yellow house eats Chocolovel dark chocolate.

 

Clue 8: The man living in the centre house drinks milk.

 

Clue 9: The Norwegian lives in the leftmost house.

 

Clue 10: The man who eats Green and Black’s dark chocolate lives next to the one who keeps cats.

 

Clue 11: The man who keeps a horse lives next to the man who eats Chocolovel dark chocolate.

 

Clue 12: The owner who eats Dagoba Eclipse dark chocolate also drinks juice.

 

Clue 13: The German eats Scharffen Berger dark chocolate.
 
Clue 14: The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.

 

Clue 15: The man who eats Green and Black’s dark chocolate has a neighbour who drinks water.

 

Answer

 

Not sure how that solution is found? Watch an animation of the Solution to Einstein’s Problem.

 

 

This is a play button for Solution to Einstein’s Problem.

 

image: © sarah5/27232067/Fotolia



Knowing the location of each house helps you figure out the clues. You may find it useful to create a chart that allows you organize the location of each house.