Can you figure it out?

My teacher told my class this today and stumped all of us. He said he's only ever had one student get the answer. If you've heard it before, please don't give it away. I'm writing this from memory so it won't be perfect.

A mathematician, called a genius by some, is working on a new equation that will change the way we think, kind of like E=MC2. It covers 9 blackboards and it's almost done, but he can't figure out the end. Out of frustration he says, "Damn, I'd sell my soul to finish this."

Immediately the Devil appears, wanting the mathematician's soul. Of course, the math dude takes it back, saying it was a figure of speech and he didn't really mean it. The Devil, for whatever reason, gives the math dude a choice. Either he loses he soul or he can ask the Devil 3 questions and then ask of him something he can't do or say.

Being a genius, the math dude takes the second option, figuring he can come up with something the Devil can't do or say. He thinks about his first question for about 1/2 hour, then asks, "Is there anywhere you can't go?". The Devil laughs and says he's been around since the beginning of time and has been everywhere, of course there's nowhere he can't go.

The math dude takes an hour think of his second question, then asks the Devil, "Is there anything you can't say?". The Devil laughs again and says that he's no mere mortal, there is nothing in the world he can't say.

It takes the math dude much longer to think of his third question, then asks, "Is there anything you can't physically do?", to which the Devil replies he can take any shape and can become whatever he chooses, be it animal, human, plant, rock or anything else.

Now the Devil says, "You've asked me three questions, now ask of me something I can't do or say." The math dude thinks for a long time, then comes up with something. The Devil, in disbelief of what the mathematician came up with, gives him back his soul in disgust.

What did the mathematician ask of the Devil that he can't do or say? Remember that the Devil is immortal and can go anywhere, including Heaven, and he can give the math dude his soul back if he (the Devil) so desires. It also has nothing to do with the equation.

EDIT: I'll answer any questions that won't give away the answer

Die?! I duno, weird..

There are three kinds of people in the world, ones that can count and ones who can't.

I think I figured it out.

can he turn into god?

Can he count to infinit?

Can he count to infinit? He is a math person, so I guess it has something to do with numbers.

he cant not do everything.

hah!

This would be my guess.

A mathematician, called a genius by some, is working on a new equation that will change the way we think, kind of like E=MC2. It covers 9 blackboards and it's almost done, but he can't figure out the end. Out of frustration he says, "Damn, I'd sell my soul to finish this."

If this dude is a genius & is willing to sell his soul because he can't solve it, how can the Devil solve it?

So my guess is he asked the Devil to solve the 9 blackboard covering equation?

Edit: Nevermind, I just read it had nothing to do with the equation, fuck it, I don't know.

maybe he asked him to disappear?

It's simple, the Devil is asking him to ask his fourth question even though he was suppose to ask three questions. So the math "dude" probably asked him if he couldn't count.

I think thats right.

What the fuck are you on about?

He asked three questions, after that he was supposed to ask of the Devil something he couldn't say or do.

What gibber gabber are you spewing out again?

Edit: I hate riddles, they get me worked up.

Yeah, asking the Devil about something he can't do or say is a question so it counts as a fourth question.

I don't know what the fuck i'm talking about. I'm just trying to solve it like all the other people.

I guess he asked him to be powerless, not omnipotent and not omnipresent.

At least that's what I'd do.


Or he could simply ask him to name the last of the prime numbers... That'd be a first.

can he turn into god?

I don't know ... but that's not the answer. Actually, he probably can't seeing as God has no known form, but it's not the answer my teacher gave us.

Can he count to infinit? He is a math person, so I guess it has something to do with numbers

He probably can, and it has nothing to do with numbers.

maybe he asked him to disappear?

If he can appear out of nowhere then he can disappear too

It has nothing to do with asking four questions instead of three, and I did say "he can ask the Devil 3 questions and then ask of him something he can't do or say" so technically that's four questions.

I guess he asked him to be powerless, not omnipotent and not omnipresent.

No, it has to do with him being omnithis and omnithat.

he cant not do everything.

Laxation here is actually the closest, he could do nothing as Laxation thinks, but you're on the right track with your thinking. Bet you didn't think you'd be the closest, eh?

He said "Cant you do something?"


Dont know, jsut makign thigns up.


OR he asked the devil, "What can't you do?"

so uhh..when u tellin us the answer?

Here's something radical:

The mathematician stepped forward and said, "Bring me a chair!" The Devil brought forward a chair. "Drill 7 holes on the seat." The Devil did just that. The guy then sat on the chair and let out a very loud fart. Standing up, he asked, "Which hole did my fart come out from?" The Devil inspected the seat and said, "The third hole from the right." "Wrong," said the mathematician, "it's from my asshole." And he got his soul back.

LOL is that the answer? Becuase thats a good question, there is more than one hole.

That's not the answer. I'll give you a clue. The mathematician's question concerns a place, but not the kind of place you'd normally think of.

Is it math related in anyway, at least?

It also has nothing to do with the equation.

Nope, nothing to do with math. I think the only reason my teacher used a mathematician is to show that he's a genius, although you don't need to be a genius to figure it out, in fact you're better off not to be

"Send me to heaven?"

Last edited by The Other Kevin on Sat Feb 11, 2006 1:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

The Devil could send you to heaven. And you spelled heaven wrong, you're slipping CG

And I thought that I was a spelling Nazi.