lateral and logical thinking..try this

**anjali2005** · 3rd May 2005, 02:12 PM

Many hundreds of years ago in a small Italian town, a merchant had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a moneylender.

The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the merchant's debt if he could marry his daughter.

Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified by the proposal.

So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.

He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven.

If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.

But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant's garden.

As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles.

As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag.

He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine you were standing in the merchant's garden.

What would you have done if you were the girl?

If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story.

The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking.

The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with traditional logical thinking.

Think of the consequences if she chooses the above logical answers. What would you recommend to the Girl to do?

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**anjali2005** · 3rd May 2005, 02:13 PM

I want yr feedback i will post the answer later...

**arsenicblue** · 3rd May 2005, 02:27 PM

pathil sollalama.....?

**rajasaranam** · 5th May 2005, 03:15 AM

anjali2005,

logical deduction leads me into a solution like this

The girl should pick up a pebble from the bag and throw or hide it and ask the moneylender to look into the bag for the remaining pebble. when looked upon, the bag will contain a black pebble leading to a deduction that the girl had picked up a white pebble

she need not marry him and her fathers debt would be forgiven

**pavalamani pragasam** · 5th May 2005, 07:14 AM

Wow, rajasaranam!

The best solution- to save the girl, her father & to teach a lesson to the cunning, scheming moneylender!

**anjali2005** · 5th May 2005, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by rajasaranam

anjali2005,

logical deduction leads me into a solution like this

The girl should pick up a pebble from the bag and throw or hide it and ask the moneylender to look into the bag for the remaining pebble. when looked upon, the bag will contain a black pebble leading to a deduction that the girl had picked up a white pebble

she need not marry him and her fathers debt would be forgiven

wow answer is correct

**rajasaranam** · 5th May 2005, 04:44 PM

thanks PP and Anjali

anjali awaiting your next question

**j.chenkalvarayan** · 29th May 2005, 10:40 PM

something on similar lines.

you are riding a car on a quite tempestuous night. suddenly you come across three persons. one is a young, beautiful damsel. another is your friend who has helped you a lot and whom you are meeting after quite some time. the third person is an old, frail woman . you are in a dilemma now . your car can just accomodate 2 persons . whom would you offer a seat in your car?

**pavalamani pragasam** · 30th May 2005, 05:52 PM

Already heard this story

Send the old woman & friend in your car, stay back to give company to the girl

**j.chenkalvarayan** · 30th May 2005, 06:40 PM

i don't know if you people have heard this before. this was a question posed to one of the iim aspirants in his interview. this person was given a choice to choose between many easy questions and 1 difficult question.he chose the second option. the interviewer wanted to know which came before ,the day or the night. this guy thought for a moment and replied that the night came before the day. the interviewer was surprised and wanted to know the reason behind the answer.our smart friend replied that he is supposed to answer not more than one question.this piece of news was circulated some time ago in emails and it was also mentioned in the mail that the smart guy made it to some iim.