Getty Louisville Slugger Bats and Rawlins Ball, the Official Bat and Ball of Major League Baseball, photographed on December 19, 2012.
Riddles and online puzzles have become more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, since so many people are at home and in isolation. A new riddle has been going around social media that’s causing a lot of people to get confused and wonder about the answer.
This riddle is called “baseball bat and ball cost $1.10” or just simply “bat and ball cost $1.10.” Here it is:
A baseball bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?
This riddle requires people to use logic and take a step back to think about the answer. There’s no accompanying image and all the information needed to solve it is in the riddle. For those who think they have it or are ready to give up, read on for the answer to this tricky riddle.
The Answer to the ‘Baseball Bat & Ball Cost $1.10’ Riddle & Explanation
Although many people may be mistaken or get confused, the answer to this popular riddle is 5 cents. For the bat to cost $1 more than the ball, the ball has to cost 5 cents and the bat $1.05.
Many people will immediately think the answer is 10 cents, but that’s actually incorrect. The reason most will jump straight to 10 cents is that when thinking quickly, people will assume that the bat is $1 and the ball is 10 cents. However, if the ball costs 10 cents, the true cost of the bat would be $1.10 and both together would be $1.20.
This isn’t a new riddle by any means, and it has been shared on Twitter for many years. With the coronavirus outbreak keeping many at home, it seems that people are looking at new riddles as well as old ones to challenge their loved ones. In one Twitter post from 2016, it’s easy to see that the majority of people got caught in the trap of thinking that the bat is $1.00 flat. The question was even circulating on Twitter in 2012 in a post claiming that “Over 50% of MIT students get it wrong.”
Kahneman: A bat and ball cost $1.10. Bat costs $1 more than ball. How much does ball cost? Over 50% of MIT students get it wrong
There Are Many Other Riddles That Have Trended on Social Media Since the Coronavirus Outbreak Began
One riddle that’s gone viral is called “At a Four Legged Table.” The riddle states: “At a four legged table, there are 1 grandma, 2 moms, 2 daughters and a granddaughter. How many legs are under the table?” This riddle has stumped many and has to do with the family members around the table.
The answer to the “at a four legged table” riddle is 10. It includes 4 table legs and 6 human legs belonging to three people. The three people sitting at the table who meet the criteria for the riddle are: a grandmother, her daughter and her granddaughter. The grandmother and her daughter are both mothers of someone at the table, and the granddaughter and the daughter are both daughters of someone at the table. That means that a table with one grandmother, two mothers, two daughters and one granddaughter has only three people, not six as some thought.
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