If I pick 1, both numbers you can pick are greater than my number.



This will work because if you score 1, you lose. If you score 2, you go into overtime and the outcome is unknown. If you score 3 you win.

if you pick 1, it's always less than my number, so it's not greater than my number => no
if you pick 2, maybe it's greater (if i picked 1) or maybe it's less (if i picked 3) => idk
if you pick 3, it's always greater => yes

Unable to read the bolded part.
Curious about what it is...

Oh haha, weird how I can see it but you guys can't. Could also be the reason why some of you may not understand

Tried to copy and paste a double struck S. Should be S^(3n-2).

Which is equivalent to asking "does the (3n-2)-sphere have an exotic smooth structure?"

Most simple, clean one I can think of is asking: "I'm thinking of a random odd number. Can it perfectly divide with your number?"

If they say yes, it must be 1, since that can divide perfectly with any odd number.
If they say no, it must be 2 because a random odd number will always give a fraction or have a remainder of 1.
If they say they don't know, then it has to be 3 because 3 can divide into many odd numbers, but not all of them as 1 can.

I don't think that is concise enough

It looks as straight to the point as possible to me. Although, it is more of a logic approach than mathematical.

Yes = 1, No = 2, 3 = Don't know.

The only circumstance you can say yes to that question is if the number is 1; any possible odd number will be divisible by that.
The only circumstance you can say no is if the number was 2; this is as straightforward as it can get.

The 3 is where logic comes in. You can't say yes because the random odd number could be 5, 7, 11, etc. You can't say no because 3 is not even/the 2. Thus, by elimination, a lack of a yes or no would suggest a 3.

It's as concise as it can get in my opinion. I'd reword the question though. "Can your number be perfectly divided into any odd number?"

This post was edited by OmegaJSP on Dec 9 2014 02:31am

I think it's concise.

I like this one best, nice and simple and the "I don't know" is a true idk, i.e. it is exactly 50% yes 50% no rather than having some option be higher probability. Though I'd add "randomly" so, "If I were to randomly pick one...

Not that it's necessary it just feels more perfect to me

This post was edited by Voyaging on Dec 13 2014 05:54pm

Winner, in my humble opinion.



Close second !