mediummath

If three men can chop down three trees in three hours, how many men will it take to chop down six trees in six hours?

Three Each man can cut down a tree in 3 hours. So three men can cut 2 trees in 6 hours. 2x3 = 6

Why this works

This riddle plays with the relationship between men, trees, and time. Each man can chop down one tree in three hours, meaning that in six hours, one man can cut down two trees. Therefore, if three men work together, they can collectively chop down six trees in the same six-hour period, as three men can cut down two trees each in that time (2 trees per man multiplied by 3 men gives you 6 trees). The trick lies in realizing that the number of men remains constant regardless of the increased number of trees, as the time allotted allows for the same work rate.

Common Wrong Answers

“Six”

This guess assumes that the number of men needed doubles since the number of trees doubles. However, the riddle states that three men can already chop down two trees in six hours.

“One”

This guess mistakenly assumes that only one man is needed to chop down all the trees, ignoring the time it takes and the capacity of that one man.

“Four”

This guess suggests adding an extra man to increase productivity, but the riddle shows that three men are sufficient to meet the requirement of chopping down six trees in the given time.

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