Monday Morning Braintease - Two Questions

Happy Monday. Let's see if you can get your brain working after the pre-4th of July weekend fun you had.

Two questions for you this morning:
1 - What is the probability that the first business day of a month is a Monday?

2 - What is the greatest dollar value in coins you can have in your hand without being able to make change for a dollar?

SB's for well explained answers.

18 Comments
 
1 - no probability need for practical purposes, available by checking calendar 2 - theoretically, unlimited if you have silver dollars.
Get busy living
 
UFOinsider#1 - no probability need for practical purposes, available by checking calendar 2 - theoretically, unlimited if you have silver dollars.
  1. you're thinking about ir tompletely wrong.
  2. if you have two silver dollars, you have change for a dollar bill...so that doesn't hold water.
 
Buddyfox
UFOinsider#1 - no probability need for practical purposes, available by checking calendar 2 - theoretically, unlimited if you have silver dollars.
  1. you're thinking about ir tompletely wrong.
  2. if you have two silver dollars, you have change for a dollar bill...so that doesn't hold water.
My my, they've trained us well
Get busy living
 
melvvvar
Johnny RingoThe Horse's name is Monday

of all the times for me to run out of SBs.

somebody hook this brotha up.

ahhh thank you sir

Eventus stultorum magister.
 
Best Response
1 - 38.1%

For most months, probability is 3/7 (if the 1st is Saturday, Sunday or Monday, first business day is Monday).

In January, New Years falling out on Friday or Saturday is good; if it falls Sunday or Monday, Monday is a holiday. 2/7.

In September, 0/7, since first Monday is Labor Day.

Take average of 1x(0/7), 1x(2/7), 10x(3/7)

38.1%

 

Now that I think about it, this is too obvious. The answer is about 43%. The only explanation is if you count the first day of the month as a Saturday or Sunday, then those "count" toward the first business day being on Monday, so 3 of the 7 days in a week could make Monday the first business day. I just took too small of a sample earlier.

Regarding the extra dime...yep. Extra dime. Not sure why I didn't write that as I threw out the 4 dimes theory earlier in my head and accepted 3. Ah well.

 

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