Do you like the little challenges that kindle your mind while having fun? This mathematical puzzle that has been a cow active in the protagonist has been circulating on social media for several weeks. At first glance, it sounds simple. But as you do the calculations, confusion takes over. So, are you ready to take the challenge? We bet you’ll want to solve it by drinking a coffee with your friends!
The (very serious) enigma of the cow
Here are the rules of the game:
- Buy a cow for 800 €.
- You sell it for $1,000 (with a gain of $200).
- Then you buy it back for $1,100.
- And sell it again for $1,300.
The question is very simple… What is the total profit actually made from this whole operation?
Do you want to say 0 € or €500? Take a moment to think about it…
This type of puzzle plays on the business logic, but also on our ability to correctly follow the sequence of operations. Many fall into the trap, thinking they have to add up all the numbers without really analyzing the steps. But this is where the difficulty is…
Decrypt step by step (you will take the click)
- Buy the cow for 800 euros, then sell it for 1,000 euros.
The profit is 200 euros. - You buy it back for €1,100, then you sell it for €1,300.
Another profit of $200 on this second transaction.
Here is the answer:
Now, we simply add these two margins:
200 € + 200 € ? 400€ of net profit.
And that is all! No need to complicate things: with every purchase/resale cycle you have earned $200. And since there were two cycles, in the end you are more than 400 €. Simple, once you understand the reasoning.
Do you like the little challenges that kindle your mind while having fun? This mathematical puzzle that has been a cow active in the protagonist has been circulating on social media for several weeks. At first glance, it sounds simple. But as you do the calculations, confusion takes over. So, are you ready to take the challenge? We bet you’ll want to solve it by drinking a coffee with your friends!
The (very serious) enigma of the cow
Here are the rules of the game:
- Buy a cow for 800 €.
- You sell it for $1,000 (with a gain of $200).
- Then you buy it back for $1,100.
- And sell it again for $1,300.
The question is very simple… What is the total profit actually made from this whole operation?
Do you want to say 0 € or €500? Take a moment to think about it…
This type of puzzle plays on the business logic, but also on our ability to correctly follow the sequence of operations. Many fall into the trap, thinking they have to add up all the numbers without really analyzing the steps. But this is where the difficulty is…
Decrypt step by step (you will take the click)
- Buy the cow for 800 euros, then sell it for 1,000 euros.
The profit is 200 euros. - You buy it back for €1,100, then you sell it for €1,300.
Another profit of $200 on this second transaction.
Here is the answer:
Now, we simply add these two margins:
200 € + 200 € ? 400€ of net profit.
And that is all! No need to complicate things: with every purchase/resale cycle you have earned $200. And since there were two cycles, in the end you are more than 400 €. Simple, once you understand the reasoning.
