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Today Puzzle #530

Puzzle No. 530 – Wednesday 24 July

Four cards are on the table labelled A, B, 1 and 2. The cards all have a number on one side and a letter on the other. A rule is proposed: A card with a consonant on it always has an even number on the other side of the card. Which two cards do you need to turn over to prove this rule is true?

Today’s #PuzzleForToday has been set by Kit Yates is an author, maths communicator and Senior Lecturer in mathematical biology at the University of Bath.

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You need to turn over the B and the 1. You need to turn over the B to check there is an even number on the other side and the 1 to make sure there is not a consonant on the other side. You don’t need to turn over the A because there’s nothing in the statement which restricts what can be on the other side of a vowel card. Similarly you don’t need to turn over the 2 because there’s nothing in the statement which restricts what can be on the other side of even card. Odd cards however, must not have a consonant on the other side so you do need to check the 1.

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