Why the question in contests ?

[GbayGiant]

So I was looking at the Dave Mercer behind the scenes contest and seen this.

 

(iii) Canadian residents must correctly answer a time-limited mathematical skill testing question (which will be administered at a pre-arranged time with the selected entrant) without the assistance of another person or mechanical device.

 

 

It seems like every contest since the beginning of contests have done this, just wondering why, what does it matter ? Could you imagine winning and then getting the question wrong, talk about breaking a guys heart. Do they really care ? is it just to make sure the winner isn't illiterate on TV, lol ? I just don't get it. what if it was a young kid that was just daydreaming, exited and couldn't answer it correctly ?

 

Operator : " Hi, is this James ? "

 

Kid: " Yes I'm James "

 

Operator: " You just won the Fishing contest "

 

kid: " Mom, Mom ! I won, I won, Oh my god I can't believe it, this is the best day ever"

 

Mom: " Won what sweetie ? "

 

Kid: " The fishing contest "

 

Operator : " James, are you still there ? Hello."

 

Kid: " Yes I'm still here "

 

Operator " You have to awswer this time-limited mathematical skill testing question first OK ? "

 

Kid: " What do you mean ? what question ? "

 

Operator : " What is 10 times 3 plus 5 times 6 divided by 2 ? You have 1 minute to answer starting now "

 

Kid : " (*insert Jeopardy theme music) " Ummm, Ummmmm...... is it 20 ? "

 

Operator : " Is that your final answer ? "

 

Kid: " Yes "

 

Operator : " Oh, I'm so sorry James that is incorrect. What we are going to do is mail you a free tackle box for your cooperation, once again I'm sorry. Have a nice day. "

 

Kid : * Insert your own ending.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Could you imagine ?

Edited January 27, 2008 by GbayGiant

[nofish4me]

Well, is it 20?

I'm not familiar with this new math thing.

My best 3 years of high school were in grade 10.

 

Dang, still a minnow!

Edited January 27, 2008 by nofish4me

[SlowPoke]

This is why I stayed in skool as long as I did. Aint no operater gonna screw me outta a fishing prize.

 

I think the skill testing questions apply to prizes over a certain value - not sure why. One thing that has always boggled my mind is the number of contests and promotions that state Quebec residents are ineligible.

-Brian

[danc]

I think it's a legal requirement.

[GbayGiant]

Well, is it 20?

 

I'm not sure, I think it's 30.

 

 

My best 3 years of high school were in grade 10.

 

LOL.

[HTHM]

The reason there is a skill testing question, is to prevent the contest from being a lottery. A lottery requires a whole different set of licenses and follows different rules. That is my understanding of the situation.

BTW the answer is 105

Edited January 27, 2008 by hometownhandyman

[SlowPoke]

BTW the answer is 105

You're crazy! It's obviously 120

 

"What is 10 times 3 plus 5 times 6 divided by 2"

10x(3+5)x6/2=120

[Rich Clemens]

10 times 3 plus 5 times 6 divided by 2

(10 * 3) + ((5 * 6) / 2) = 30

If I recall Algebra from many years ago. Multiply, Divide, Add, then Subtract.

 

10 * 3 = 30. Add 5 = 35. Times 6 = 210. Divide by 2 = 105

 

This is too much for a Sunday Morning.

I'll vote to 30.

Edited January 27, 2008 by Rich Clemens

[JerseyDog]

HomeTown is right.

 

If there is no skill testing component, the contest becomes a Lottery.

 

In Canada, lotteries must be licensed and require extensive regulatory oversight.

 

Simple contests need to follow a set of rules, but the oversight required is far less and generally informal (depending on the size of the prizes). You will notice a contest often excludes Quebec. This is because their rules are different from the rest of Canada and the States and what would be a simple contest elsewhere is expensive and difficult to adminster.

 

As for the question, almost no contest administrator would let someone lose a big prize because of the Skill Testing question. They would "help" them a little bit to make sure they get the right answer.

[Guest skeeter99]

come on guys remember BEDMAS

 

must be done in folowing order

 

B brackets

E exponents

D divide

M multiply

A add

S subtract

 

10X(3+5)x6/2 = 10x(8)X3

 

Brackets = 5+3 =8

Exponents none

Divide = 6/2=3

mulitply 10x

 

so we get 10x8x3 = 240

 

you all got it wrong I win the prize, I will trade you guys my $20 for your $50 ok LOL!!!!!

Edited January 27, 2008 by skeeter99

[douG]

Anyone have two tens for a five?

[Hookset]

or they could make the question....whats 1 + 1.

 

even I could answer that.

thereby fullfilling another dumbass government requirement.

 

 

 

Hookset.

[walleyejigger]

how do we know there's brackets in that equation, simply looks like follow the order to me,

 

either way i think we have a good case in court if any of our answers were wroong

[shane]

"how do we know there's brackets in that equation, simply looks like follow the order to me,"

 

I didn't see any brackets either, but I seem to remember that the brackets are assumed. ("the rules")

 

I can never remember what's 1+2x3.......9 or 7?

[Casey123]

The Law Is An Ass!!!

[Guest skeeter99]

i dont know if their are brackets just copied slowpokes equation **which has brackets**

 

10x(3+5)x6/2=120

[GbayGiant]

If there is no skill testing component, the contest becomes a Lottery.

 

Yeah, no doubt, it's just ridiculous is what I was getting at, so obviously that means politics are involved.

 

Perfect example is how I confused myself and I even got to make my own question, lol.

I meant it like this (10x3) + (5x6) divided by 2. The kid was unaware.

[ketchenany]

It's a legal rquirement, so you have to 'work' for the 'prize' and notice it will be at a "pe-arranged time"

 

so you can get your math-geek buddies to figure it out before hand.

 

And there are separate rules in Quebec – Regie des . . . something or another if you read all of the rules and regs.

 

Basically, I can't give it to you for nothing, but I can sell it to for a $1.00.

 

It's the FINE PRINT to cover one's

[camillj]

Wow ... pretty sad ... guess we better stick to fishin ... cause we aren't smarter than 5th graders .. this is 5th grade math

 

by the way .. in the absence of brackets (as per the orginal Skill testing question) ... the only correct answer is .....

 

 

10 X 3 + 5 X 6 / 2 = 30 + 15 = 45 ... and NOBODY got it ! Rich was the closest except he forgot that 30 + 15 = 45 (not 30)

Edited January 27, 2008 by camillj

[carp-starter]

camillj is the only one who has the correct answer.

 

 

Arithmetical operations – multiplication, division, addition and subtraction is done in this order – M, D, A and S.

 

To make things easier, brackets are used.

 

So the above equation becomes –

 

10 times 3 plus 5 times 6 divided by 2 (original)

 

(10 times 3) plus (5 times 6) divided by 2

(10 times 3) plus ((5 times 6) divided by 2)

(30) plus ((30) divided by 2)

(30) plus (30 divided by 2)

(30) plus (15)

45

 

Gambling was not allowed a long time ago. So to get around the problem, people had to answer a question that required skill.

 

carp-starter – QED

 

All I can say – is – I am amazed

[OhioFisherman]

Fishing contests? Can you count by one to your legal limit?

[Rich Clemens]

Dang ... Right you are Camillj. Guess I would have been stuck with the tackle box too. I guess that's why I am a programmer/ analyst. Can't do it in my head ... so I need to computer to do it for me.

Edited January 28, 2008 by Rich Clemens

[muddler]

The correct answer is 'C'

BEDMAS is how much you weigh at night in your bed.

And I want the tackle bag not the box if I won.

 

 

muddler