I bought a cow riddle

[Hibbyradge]

You may have seen this elsewhere, but please don't Google for the answer. (I often wonder why people cheat at stuff like this.)


I bought a cow for £800.
I sold it for £1000.
I bought it again for £1100.
I sold it again for £1300.

How much did I earn?

[Hibby70]

I don't understand how people would get this wrong, perhaps overthinking it?

[Hibbyradge]

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I don't understand how people would get this wrong, perhaps overthinking it?

Lots get it wrong and even when shown the correct answer, refuse to believe it.

[Pretty Boy]

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I don't understand how people would get this wrong, perhaps overthinking it?

I think it's all the waffle about cows in the question (which is admittedly there to distract and what makes it potentially difficult). Focus solely on the numbers and it's a primary school maths problem.

[Hibbyradge]

What's your answer?

[Pretty Boy]

I was trying not to spoil it for the rest of the thread but it's £400. I daresay a few will get £300 though.

[Santa Cruz]

£400. Disclaimer - failed Maths/Arithmetic.

[CropleyWasGod]

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I was trying not to spoil it for the rest of the thread but it's £400. I daresay a few will get £300 though.

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£400. Disclaimer - failed Maths/Arithmetic.

I take it neither of you sold it at a cattle market. That you had no commission to pay.

FWIW, I got £400 as well. But I read a very convincing argument for £300. I almost fell for it, before I took a step back.

[Scouse Hibee]

I got £400 too and can’t really see why anyone would be confused?

[Pretty Boy]

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I got £400 too and can’t really see why anyone would be confused?

I think a lot of people overthink the £100 discrepancy between the 2nd and 3rd transaction (selling for £1000 and buying for £1100). They are assuming there was £100 borrowed to make that purchase. That's why you have to discount the waffle about the cows though. As I said above it's basic maths: (1000-800) + (1300-1100) = £400.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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I got £400 too and can’t really see why anyone would be confused?

#MeToo! 😀

[Eaststand]

I'm usually not too bad with this type of thing so that's now set myself up for a major fail 😁

I reckon when you take the original purchase price into consideration, you actually earned nowt as you are still 400 quid out of pocket overall.

GGTTH

[Jack]

All I managed to get was a bag of magic beans!

[blackpoolhibs]

The cow i married cost me hundreds of thousands.

[Hibbyradge]

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The cow i married cost me hundreds of thousands.

I'm not sure that was entirely her fault 😂

[Bridge hibs]

Im absolutely ***** at these kind of riddles, Im still lost at ‘cow’ 🥹

[Moulin Yarns]

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Im absolutely ***** at these kind of riddles, Im still lost at ‘cow’ 🥹

It's an animal that provides milk and beef, but enough of that, how much did you 'earn'?

[Hibby70]

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I'm usually not too bad with this type of thing so that's now set myself up for a major fail 😁

I reckon when you take the original purchase price into consideration, you actually earned nowt as you are still 400 quid out of pocket overall.

GGTTH

You really arent 🤣

[Hibbyradge]

I'm going £300

[Hibrandenburg]

Outgoings £1900
Takings £2300
Profit £400

I fail to see how it can be anything else.

[Bridge hibs]

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It's an animal that provides milk and beef, but enough of that, how much did you 'earn'?

Easy, £399.99 🤣

[JeMeSouviens]

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Outgoings £1900
Takings £2300
Profit £400

I fail to see how it can be anything else.

Like you and others above, it seems totally obvious to me it's £400.

And yet, if you google for it you can find numerous instances of people arguing the toss over it. Bizarre.

[Billy Whizz]

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Like you and others above, it seems totally obvious to me it's £400.

And yet, if you google for it you can find numerous instances of people arguing the toss over it. Bizarre.

As far as I can see it’s a £400 profit
Would be interesting to see how anyone gets anything different to that

[Hibrandenburg]

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Like you and others above, it seems totally obvious to me it's £400.

And yet, if you google for it you can find numerous instances of people arguing the toss over it. Bizarre.

It seems that people are counting the £100 price increase between selling the cow and buying it again as a £100 pound loss. Mental.

[danhibees1875]

You lost £100.

You had an asset that appreciated in value by £500 without your intervention, and yet your excessive cow-trading ensured you only got £400 of that.

In the world of cows, you're up poo creek without an udder.

[blackpoolhibs]

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I'm not sure that was entirely her fault 😂

Aye you are probably right Dave.

[sleeping giant]

Earned £100

Had 800
Made 200 so had 1000
Bought for 1100
100 loss as they only had 1000
Sold for 1300
200 profit on the 1100
Minus the 100 loss when buying at 1100

=100 profit

[Keith_M]

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Earned £100

Had 800
Made 200 so had 1000
Bought for 1100
100 loss as they only had 1000
Sold for 1300
200 profit on the 1100
Minus the 100 loss when buying at 1100

=100 profit

I've got a car for sale and you sound like the perfect buyer.

[sleeping giant]

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I've got a car for sale and you sound like the perfect buyer.

Its a 100 deficit before buying at 1100.

Edit:wait..... 😂

[RyeSloan]

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Earned £100

Had 800
Made 200 so had 1000
Bought for 1100
100 loss as they only had 1000
Sold for 1300
200 profit on the 1100
Minus the 100 loss when buying at 1100

=100 profit

Impressive