Comments on: Sales tax included http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2009/01/12/sales-tax-included/ The blog of John D. Cook Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:10:06 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John Venier http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2009/01/12/sales-tax-included/comment-page-1/#comment-20033 John Venier Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:34:06 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/?p=1206#comment-20033 Kevin, Douglas and Pieter got the answer right. Thanks, guys! As far as a reference goes, it was in an issue of Games Magazine. They have a web site <a href="http://www.gamesmagazine-online.com/" rel="nofollow">here</a>. It must have been in a 2008 issue. I believe it was in their "Wild Cards" section, printed on slick color paper instead of the pencil friendly paper they use almost everywhere else. I'll see if I still have it hanging around. It is usually quite some time before I'm finished with an issue. If not and you need the reference for some reason, I'd imagine the folks at Kappa Publishing (Games' publisher) would help. By the way, Games is and has been the best puzzle magazine I've ever seen. They also have a less-frequently published "Games' World of Puzzles" serial which is excellent. Anything they make is absolutely top-notch. If I'm not mistaken, even the superhuman and most brilliant Henry Hook used to write for them. If there should be a patron saint of crosswords (especially cryptics) he'd be an excellent choice IMO. If you prefer more logical / arithmetic puzzles check out Conceptis online (from Japan). Extremely good puzzles, and very, very prolific. Plus, they put weekly samples online for free (I think registration is required though). They even send out t-shirts to random puzzle reviewers, but I've never got one. Kevin,

Douglas and Pieter got the answer right. Thanks, guys!

As far as a reference goes, it was in an issue of Games Magazine. They have a web site here. It must have been in a 2008 issue. I believe it was in their “Wild Cards” section, printed on slick color paper instead of the pencil friendly paper they use almost everywhere else. I’ll see if I still have it hanging around. It is usually quite some time before I’m finished with an issue. If not and you need the reference for some reason, I’d imagine the folks at Kappa Publishing (Games’ publisher) would help. By the way, Games is and has been the best puzzle magazine I’ve ever seen. They also have a less-frequently published “Games’ World of Puzzles” serial which is excellent. Anything they make is absolutely top-notch. If I’m not mistaken, even the superhuman and most brilliant Henry Hook used to write for them. If there should be a patron saint of crosswords (especially cryptics) he’d be an excellent choice IMO. If you prefer more logical / arithmetic puzzles check out Conceptis online (from Japan). Extremely good puzzles, and very, very prolific. Plus, they put weekly samples online for free (I think registration is required though). They even send out t-shirts to random puzzle reviewers, but I’ve never got one.

]]> By: Pieter http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2009/01/12/sales-tax-included/comment-page-1/#comment-20002 Pieter Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:10:10 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/?p=1206#comment-20002 Kevin, the caveat is that the relative amount of non-water in a watermelon doubled, while non of it was lost, hence the amount of water is actually halved. At start, 1% non -water = 10 kilo, at arrival only water is lost, and that 10 kilo is now 2% of the watermelon, so 100% would be 500 kilo. (this of course assumes the 99% refers to the weight and not the volume, but I guess that's implied...) Kevin, the caveat is that the relative amount of non-water in a watermelon doubled, while non of it was lost, hence the amount of water is actually halved.

At start, 1% non -water = 10 kilo, at arrival only water is lost, and that 10 kilo is now 2% of the watermelon, so 100% would be 500 kilo. (this of course assumes the 99% refers to the weight and not the volume, but I guess that’s implied…)

]]> By: Douglas http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2009/01/12/sales-tax-included/comment-page-1/#comment-20000 Douglas Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:21:16 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/?p=1206#comment-20000 At the start: <code> 1000 kg watermelon = 990 kg water + 10 kg non-water At end: 10 kg = 2% (non-water) 100% = 10 * (100/2) = 500kg </code> At the start:

1000 kg watermelon
= 990 kg water + 10 kg non-water

At end:
10 kg = 2% (non-water)
100% = 10 * (100/2)
= 500kg

]]> By: Kevin http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2009/01/12/sales-tax-included/comment-page-1/#comment-19980 Kevin Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:55:56 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/?p=1206#comment-19980 So... a little late here, but any solution or references for the watermelon question? So… a little late here, but any solution or references for the watermelon question?

]]> By: Jason Adams http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2009/01/12/sales-tax-included/comment-page-1/#comment-11994 Jason Adams Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:56:02 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/?p=1206#comment-11994 Methinks the farmer got stopped by bandits with a thirst for watermelon juice. Or he had to walk a thousand miles across the desert. Methinks the farmer got stopped by bandits with a thirst for watermelon juice. Or he had to walk a thousand miles across the desert.

]]> By: John Venier http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2009/01/12/sales-tax-included/comment-page-1/#comment-11982 John Venier Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:28:23 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/?p=1206#comment-11982 Yeah, you can see the same thing when folks think about applying successive discounts on sale items. A coupon good for 10% off any purchase, applied to an item which has already been discounted by 20%, results in a 28% discount as opposed to a 30% discount. Another great example of surprising percentages was in a reccent issue of Games magazine. I'll paraphrase from memory: A farmer goes to market starting with 1000 kilos of watermelons, which are 99% water. But on the way there, the watermelons lose some water. When he arrives, they are 98% water instead of 99%. How much does his load of watermelons weigh when he arrives at the market? First make a wild guess before working out the exact answer. I was amazed! Yeah, you can see the same thing when folks think about applying successive discounts on sale items. A coupon good for 10% off any purchase, applied to an item which has already been discounted by 20%, results in a 28% discount as opposed to a 30% discount.

Another great example of surprising percentages was in a reccent issue of Games magazine. I’ll paraphrase from memory:

A farmer goes to market starting with 1000 kilos of watermelons, which are 99% water. But on the way there, the watermelons lose some water. When he arrives, they are 98% water instead of 99%. How much does his load of watermelons weigh when he arrives at the market? First make a wild guess before working out the exact answer. I was amazed!

]]> By: Roger Peng http://www.johndcook.com/blog/2009/01/12/sales-tax-included/comment-page-1/#comment-11981 Roger Peng Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:24:27 +0000 http://www.johndcook.com/blog/?p=1206#comment-11981 Hmm, I'm not sure this explanation would fly at the local pizza shop here, but it's worth a shot, I suppose. Hmm, I’m not sure this explanation would fly at the local pizza shop here, but it’s worth a shot, I suppose.

]]>