Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Probably what *this* should be called.
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Fri Aug 06, 2021 6:13 pm

In the Middle Ages, the first hay cut in the season was called the math. What was the second cut called?
Spoiler!
The aftermath. I'm totally serious.
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Fri Aug 06, 2021 6:14 pm

Faceless wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 10:19 am What do the flags of New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands have in common that no other national flags do?
Spoiler!
They don't contain their national colours - black; green and gold; and orange respectively
That's a pretty good one

What's the only nation flag that's not a rectangle (or square, squares are rectangles)
Spoiler!
Nepal's
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Fri Aug 06, 2021 6:16 pm

What Chinese Communist phrase for working together became an American phrase for zealousness in the military?
Spoiler!
Gung-ho. But the pronunciation changed as it became American -- technically, it should have been kung-ho
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Shiny Days » Sat Aug 07, 2021 1:38 pm

Doug wrote:In the Middle Ages, the first hay cut in the season was called the math
why

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Sat Aug 07, 2021 2:38 pm

Shiny Days wrote: Sat Aug 07, 2021 1:38 pm
Doug wrote:In the Middle Ages, the first hay cut in the season was called the math
why
This has nothing to do with the Latin "mathematics" -- it's a coincidence of language. Old High German for a crop of hay was "mahd"
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Jeb Bush 2012 » Sat Aug 07, 2021 3:42 pm

that, on the other hand, *is* because of the word "mad". old high germans hated farming

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by the_zoomies » Sun Aug 08, 2021 4:20 pm

Doug wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 6:14 pm
Faceless wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 10:19 am What do the flags of New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands have in common that no other national flags do?
Spoiler!
They don't contain their national colours - black; green and gold; and orange respectively
That's a pretty good one

What's the only nation flag that's not a rectangle (or square, squares are rectangles)
Spoiler!
Nepal's
If you're not worried about vexing the contestants, you could double up with the only US state flag

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:53 pm

Not a trick question, but I love this question anyway

When the stories of the Middle East such as Sinbad talk about the Seven Seas, what are the Seven Seas?

Hint
Spoiler!
Mediterranean, Aegean, Adriatic, Black, Red -- these are all wrong, although they would be correct answers if we were talking about the Greek conception of the "Seven Seas."
Bigger Hint
Spoiler!
Imagine you're in the Persian Gulf (the first correct answer), and you want silk.
Answers
Spoiler!
The Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, the Gulf of Thailand, the Strait of Malacca, the Singapore Strait, and the South China Sea.
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:53 pm

I could probably develop this into a trick question
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Khaos » Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:33 pm

this seems like the perfect thread for that

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by the_zoomies » Fri Sep 03, 2021 3:37 pm

Doug wrote: Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:53 pm I could probably develop this into a trick question
This, but unironically, and on a t-shirt for my partner.

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:07 pm

How long did the Thirty Years Peace last?
Spoiler!
The Thirty Years Peace was the treaty between Athens and Sparta that ended the first Peloponnesian War, and was intended to have lasted 30 years -- "Thirty Years Peace" wasn't some historical name for a time period a la The Thirty Years' War. The Thirty Years Peace lasted 15 years, ending prematurely in 431 B.C. with Sparta declaring war on Athens after Athenian trade sanctions against Megara (a Spartan ally).
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Luna » Mon Nov 01, 2021 8:17 pm

well imma immediately guess not thirty years

edit - wait what if that's the trick, though

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by groff_enthusiast » Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:22 pm

Doug wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:07 pm How long did the Thirty Years Peace last?
Spoiler!
The Thirty Years Peace was the treaty between Athens and Sparta that ended the first Peloponnesian War, and was intended to have lasted 30 years -- "Thirty Years Peace" wasn't some historical name for a time period a la The Thirty Years' War. The Thirty Years Peace lasted 15 years, ending prematurely in 431 B.C. with Sparta declaring war on Athens after Athenian trade sanctions against Megara (a Spartan ally).
Spoiler!
In historical times, Megara was an early dependency of Corinth, in which capacity colonists from Megara founded Megara Hyblaea, a small polis north of Syracuse in Sicily. Megara then fought a war of independence with Corinth, and afterwards founded Chalcedon in 685 BC, as well as Byzantium
There's probably a trivia question here about Byzantium, since people (like me) don't know shit about Megara, but due to media/language Byzantium is at least known memeticly.
Ashenai wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 5:08 pmoh no

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Tue Nov 02, 2021 2:17 pm

groff_enthusiast wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:22 pm
Doug wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:07 pm How long did the Thirty Years Peace last?
Spoiler!
The Thirty Years Peace was the treaty between Athens and Sparta that ended the first Peloponnesian War, and was intended to have lasted 30 years -- "Thirty Years Peace" wasn't some historical name for a time period a la The Thirty Years' War. The Thirty Years Peace lasted 15 years, ending prematurely in 431 B.C. with Sparta declaring war on Athens after Athenian trade sanctions against Megara (a Spartan ally).
Spoiler!
In historical times, Megara was an early dependency of Corinth, in which capacity colonists from Megara founded Megara Hyblaea, a small polis north of Syracuse in Sicily. Megara then fought a war of independence with Corinth, and afterwards founded Chalcedon in 685 BC, as well as Byzantium
There's probably a trivia question here about Byzantium, since people (like me) don't know shit about Megara, but due to media/language Byzantium is at least known memeticly.
Spoiler!
Sicily was coveted by Athens because of its grain fields, and Athens tried to take Sicily for like 10 years and never succeeded.
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:11 pm

Has it ever been illegal to travel from state to state without showing your domestic passport, and if so, when?
Spoiler!
The Confederacy instituted domestic or "internal" passports during the Civil War.
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Sun Nov 14, 2021 9:35 pm

Not a trick question at all, but

John Malkovich and Matt Damon have appeared in the same film (at least Rounders, possibly more I'm unaware of), but have they ever played the same character?
Spoiler!
In Ripley's Game, Malkovich plays the same Tom Ripley as Matt Damon's Talented Mr. Ripley
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:25 pm

I heard an amazing math "trivia" question yesterday

A basketball player has a free-throw percentage of less than 75 percent early in the season.

By season's end, his free-throw percentage has risen to above 75 percent.

Is it necessarily true that his free-throw percentage was ever exactly 75 percent?
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Crunchums » Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:31 pm

edit: spoilering my thoughts
Spoiler!
so the math question is is there a rational number a/b such that a/b < 3/4 and a+1/b+1 > 3/4
interesting
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Crunchums » Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:36 pm

Spoiler!
4a < 3b
and
4a + 4 > 3b + 3

3b - 1 < 4a < 3b
which is impossible (because there are no integers between x and x + 1)
so the answer is his free throw percentage must have been exactly 75 percent at some point
neat problem
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Rylinks » Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:38 pm

Crunchums wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:31 pm so the math question is is there a rational number a/b such that a/b < 3/4 and a+1/b+1 > 3/4
interesting
yes, 2.4/3.21 = 0.747... and 3.4/4.21 > 0.8

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Crunchums » Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:40 pm

Rylinks wrote:
Crunchums wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:31 pm so the math question is is there a rational number a/b such that a/b < 3/4 and a+1/b+1 > 3/4
interesting
yes, 2.4/3.21 = 0.747... and 3.4/4.21 > 0.8
you motherfucker :lol:
(it's a fair cop though)
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:54 pm

Crunchums wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:40 pm
Rylinks wrote:
Crunchums wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:31 pm so the math question is is there a rational number a/b such that a/b < 3/4 and a+1/b+1 > 3/4
interesting
yes, 2.4/3.21 = 0.747... and 3.4/4.21 > 0.8
you motherfucker :lol:
(it's a fair cop though)
Of course this is exactly the issue

S(n)/n < 3/4 < (S(n) + 1)/(n + 1)

has solutions for n and S(n), but not with whole numbers. Isn't that neat
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Khaos » Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:59 pm

Crunchums wrote:
Rylinks wrote:
Crunchums wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:31 pm so the math question is is there a rational number a/b such that a/b < 3/4 and a+1/b+1 > 3/4
interesting
yes, 2.4/3.21 = 0.747... and 3.4/4.21 > 0.8
you motherfucker :lol:
(it's a fair cop though)
seems real easy. might wanna put some brackets in there

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Crunchums » Thu Nov 18, 2021 5:21 pm

Doug wrote: Of course this is exactly the issue

S(n)/n < 3/4 < (S(n) + 1)/(n + 1)

has solutions for n, but none of them are integers. Isn't that neat
probably people understand this already, but just in case:
when I said "is there a rational number a/b..." I was being imprecise; what I meant was "are there rational numbers a and b such that a/b..."
Rylinks jumped on my imprecision as an opportunity for trolling (or at least that was my read of his post)
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:02 pm

Crunchums wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 5:21 pm
Doug wrote: Of course this is exactly the issue

S(n)/n < 3/4 < (S(n) + 1)/(n + 1)

has solutions for n, but none of them are integers. Isn't that neat
probably people understand this already, but just in case:
when I said "is there a rational number a/b..." I was being imprecise; what I meant was "are there rational numbers a and b such that a/b..."
Rylinks jumped on my imprecision as an opportunity for trolling (or at least that was my read of his post)
I mean

He's halfway trolling, but halfway alluding to the fact that you said "rational" when it's really about being a whole number
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:04 pm

In fact, this paradigm of a certain free-throw percentage having to have exactly occurred at some point, assuming we had a lesser percentage and then had a greater percentage within the same season, is true for any success rate that can be expressed as X/(X + 1), for example 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 4/5, etc.

If a player's free-throw percentage is less than 99/100 and then later is greater than 99/100, at some point it had to have been 99/100
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Crunchums » Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:11 pm

Doug wrote:
Crunchums wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 5:21 pm
Doug wrote: Of course this is exactly the issue

S(n)/n < 3/4 < (S(n) + 1)/(n + 1)

has solutions for n, but none of them are integers. Isn't that neat
probably people understand this already, but just in case:
when I said "is there a rational number a/b..." I was being imprecise; what I meant was "are there rational numbers a and b such that a/b..."
Rylinks jumped on my imprecision as an opportunity for trolling (or at least that was my read of his post)
I mean

He's halfway trolling, but halfway alluding to the fact that you said "rational" when it's really about being a whole number
oh i realize now i was wrong in my correction :lol:
i meant "are there integers a and b such that a/b..."
but yeah that's what i said - i understood the problem but wrote my answer wrong, and he understood that and trolled me for it
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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Ashenai » Thu Nov 18, 2021 7:33 pm

Doug wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:04 pm In fact, this paradigm of a certain free-throw percentage having to have exactly occurred at some point, assuming we had a lesser percentage and then had a greater percentage within the same season, is true for any success rate that can be expressed as X/(X + 1), for example 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 4/5, etc.

If a player's free-throw percentage is less than 99/100 and then later is greater than 99/100, at some point it had to have been 99/100
That is very neat, and unintuitive!

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Re: Doug's Fiendish Trick Trivia Questions

Post by Doug » Thu Nov 18, 2021 7:36 pm

Ashenai wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 7:33 pm
Doug wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 6:04 pm In fact, this paradigm of a certain free-throw percentage having to have exactly occurred at some point, assuming we had a lesser percentage and then had a greater percentage within the same season, is true for any success rate that can be expressed as X/(X + 1), for example 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 4/5, etc.

If a player's free-throw percentage is less than 99/100 and then later is greater than 99/100, at some point it had to have been 99/100
That is very neat, and unintuitive!
Yeah the X/(X + 1) part of that hits me from out of nowhere like an RKO
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