The Battle of English and Math

So, This was circulating on Facebook and I was wondering what people here thought the answer should be. I found out what the answer is that was associated with the question, but I have to disagree with their reasoning and I will post the answer that was listed as correct and my opinion of why I personally think another answer is correct.

*EDIT So the correct answer that was listed was 5,

BUT, in my opinion, wouldn't it be 10?

Here is my reasoning: The phrase : "1 rabbit saw 6 elephants while going to the river" for me what the problem is with this riddle. In traditional and proper English, the object or person who is "going to the river would be closest to that phrase, hence the elephants and not the rabbit. As far as the monkeys, Every elephant saw the same 2 monkeys.

So even though the answer associated with the problem is 5, I think it is 10

6 elephants + 2 monkeys+ 2 parrots= 10.

The rabbit could technically be standing anywhere watching the elephants "while going
to the river."

And who knows, whoever created the original post could be wrong. I mean look, they spelled "school" wrong. lol.

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Northwest · M

Here's what we know for sure:

1 Rabbit is going to the river
2 monkeys are going to the river
2 parrots are forced, by the monkeys, to go to the river

So, 5 is the total of animals going to the river

The rabbit saw 6 elephants, but did not see them go to the river, so no elephants went to the river

Every elephant saw 2 monkeys, collectively, they all saw 2 monkeys only. If 6 people are looking out, and they each see 2 monkeys, the total number of monkeys is still 2. The elephants can confirm that 2 monkeys total, were heading toward the river, but the elephants did not go.

TeresaRudolph71 · 51-55, F

@Northwest When I first read this, I thought that there were two monkeys for each elephant. But now that I think about it, you're probably right.

Northwest · M

@TeresaRudolph71 If you have 2 monkeys and 6 people are looking at the two monkeys, each person is going to see 2 monkeys, but they're each seeing the SAME 2 monkeys.

The sentence is a little ambiguous, but if there's different monkeys, the sentence would have read: each elephant saw 2 different monkeys.

TeresaRudolph71 · 51-55, F

@Northwest Okay, that makes sense. I think the ambiguity is why it's a riddle and not just a math problem.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@Northwest Fair point, but how do you explain “every monkey” in the third sentence? You can’t have “every” of two. You have “each”, or “both”.

Northwest · M

@MartinII It's a riddle. "Every" can be used for any quantity. This is where the math is back in.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@Northwest I don’t agree. “Every” person, or monkey, or whatever, is incorrect, or at least bad, English if there are only two of them. You wouldn’t say, I saw two people and every one was naked.

Northwest · M

@MartinII You would not, if you knew exactly how many, but this is a puzzle. If I'm looking at a room, with a closed door, and I know there's at least one person in there, but there could be up to 50, and they need lunch, would I say "both people in that room need lunch" or "everyone in that room needs lunch"?

MartinII · 70-79, M

@Northwest You are missing the point. The author knows how many monkeys there are.