Okay, this sounds dumb. I'm a math teacher doing a brain teaser for my kids. I got stumped on something and ran it by my bf. We got into an argument over it. Please tell me your interpretation...
"The person with green eyes is taller than either of the people with violet or hazel eyes."
I took it to be the person with green eyes is taller than both the person with the violet and the person with the hazel eyes.
He was adament that it meant the person with the green eyes was taller than one or the other (violet or hazel) but not both, since the word "either" came in.
I know, it sounds stupid, huh? :)
2006-12-07 13:48:03 · 7 answers · asked by Lovinglife 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
I do logic problems a lot, and worded that way it means that the person with green eyes is taller than both of the other two. Otherwise, it would say, "The person with green eyes is taller than either the person with violet eyes OR the person with hazel eyes." Perhaps it is the "of the people" part that confused him.
Either can mean both, as in:
I have pictures hanging on either side of my fireplace.
There are tall, narrow windows on either side of my front door.
Either of the people running for president can attend the debate.
Either of the people in the front seat of a car can roll the passenger window down (if it is a power window).
Your boyfriend missed the boat on this one, as his only justification for his interpretation was the word either.
2006-12-08 03:56:59 · answer #1 · answered by Jeannie 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
yep, because you used either that would give a choice in the matter. Usually statements like that are placed in logic puzzles, where the steps (the logical) progress the choice between the eyes would have funneled or narrowed down to make a choice. To narrow the decision of who's the taller then another question would have been given by the puzzler based upon who's taller with the eye statement.
I made it more confusing, huh?
2006-12-07 21:53:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you are fighting with your boyfriend over this, then you have bigger problems.
I agree with your boyfriend.
Make it more simple: "The person with green eyes is taller than the person with violet eyes and the person with hazel eyes."
This is grammatically correct and no confusion.
2006-12-07 21:59:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
sounds like the green eyed person is taller than both the others to me
2006-12-07 21:53:01 · answer #4 · answered by kelly r 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
well, according to dictionary.com either means:
1. one or the other of two: You may sit at either end of the table.
2. each of two; the one and the other: There are trees on either side of the river.
So 'either' of you can be correct; however, in this case, I think that it's you.
2006-12-07 21:57:19 · answer #5 · answered by meliss 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are correct
2006-12-07 21:52:16 · answer #6 · answered by Silly me 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You are correct.
2006-12-07 22:38:10 · answer #7 · answered by Ryan R 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋