I need help with a riddle?

Question

hey um i have a science assignment full of brain teasers...but i could only figure out all but one here it is:

This is my favorite puzzle.

You have Some Terminal Condition, which necessitates taking two pills a day: one Pill A and one Pill B. If you neglect to take either pill, you die; if you take more than one A or more than one B, you die. If you don't take them at exactly the same time, you die.

This morning you are going through you usual routine. You pick up your bottle of A Pills and gently tap one into your palm. Then you pick up your bottle of B Pills and tap it, but two pills accidentally fall into your hand. You now hold three pills (one A and two Bs), you don't know which are which, and they are completely indistinguishable from each other. The A Pills are the same color as the B Pills, they are the same shape, same size -- they are identical in every respect. Man, your doctor is a dumbass. But he's a rich dumbass, because he's charging you $10,000,000 a pill! So you dare not throw any away.

Thus, the puzzle: what can you do to ensure that you take only one A Pill and only one B Pill today, without wasting any pills (either today or in the future)?

No answer will be provided here, because this puzzle is so neat that I want you to actually think it over and figure it out. It took me a few days of off and on thought but I eventually got it.

any help or guesses would be nice thx!

p.s. no this is not the EXACT same question its about the same tho just a few differences...my teacher wouldnt use the word dumbazz in a assignment

Answer 1

You get an extra A pill then you cut them all in half, and split them all into two piles. Each pile has 2 halves of an A pill and 2 halves of a B pill, so you have the exact amount.

Good riddle. The solution actually came to me after reading horse_lovers answer. :)

Answer 2

if they are identical in every respect then they are the same pill

Answer 3

Any clues???

Answer 4

Problem can be worked IF one and a half of either is not lethal:

Break the three unknowns into six halves...and 2 A's and 2 B's in half.

On each of the next three days, take 1/2 A + 1/2 B + two 1/2 X's...leaving you with 1/2 A + 1/2 B.

Resume your normal dose.

On the last day, you will have one A left over plus the remaining 1/2 A + 1/2 B.

Problem becomes a little more complicated if 1 1/2 is lethal, but less is not, but can be worked in similar fashion. Ultimate is to break each into pieces equaling the number of days left (minus one). If one + a tiny fraction is lethal, you are doomed  :-))

Added later: Another solution dawns: use a solution if the pills are soluble...

Dissolve the three unknowns into a common soln...1/2 of this wd contain exactly one B and 1/2 an A.  Take 1/2 of this soln with 1/2 an A each of the next two days. Similarly, dissolve all three unknowns and one A into a common soln, and drink half of it each of the next two days.

Answer 5

hmmm, to anyone who said you dont die of an overdose it said u do in the 3rd paragraph.

ill think about this one, I think you would get one more a pill, cut them all in half, and then split them into 2 even piles, and eat only 1 of the 2 piles,and the other the next day, my friend helped me with this i wouldnt have figured that out on my own :)

Am I right?

That was fun..... got anymore?

Answer 6

you return all of them and buy new ones the doctor cant tell that they are mixed anyways

Answer 7

get another A pill and take all four pills, 2 A's and 2 B's. (it didn't say that if u took an over-dosage u would die)

i hope im right

Answer 8

you get another a

Answer 9

i agree with horse

Answer 10

I don't know... you're doomed?

Tell me the answer!

Answer 11

Its simple.. Go get a scale.. weigh each. The question did not specify if they weight the same.. Get one from pill A and label it, Then get one from Pill B label it then weigh.. Weight all three that you have and youll find out which is which. ^_^

Answer 12

just take 2. If they are idnetical in every respect....

or take another A pill

Answer 13

Ummm... you get one of those pill organizers for each day of the week, and put one A Pill and one B Pill in each day of the week... or, with the not knowing which pill is which thing, you could just remember where the B Pills fell into your hand....

I don't think these are right, but it's worth a shot!