Solution:

After analyzing the possibilities, it is obvious that my friend has better chances of winning and his average score will be lower at the end.

Let us assume that we have not completed the sequence yet and understand the possibilities. If the last toss of coin was tails, start with step 1 otherwise start at step 2.

Step 1: If either of us toss the coin to get tails, nothing will change. We both will still be at step one and we both will still be needing three more correct tosses of coin to complete our respective sequences. If we get heads, then we continue.

Step 2: If either of us tosses the coin to get heads, we stay on this very step. If we get tails, we continue.

Step 3a (me): If I tosses the coin to get tails, I will have to go back to the step one again and try till I get heads again. Thus I will need at least 3 more tosses to complete my sequence.

Step 3b (my friend): If my friend tosses the coin to get heads, he will go back to step 2 again and will try till he gets tails. In this scenario, he will need at least 2 more tosses to complete the sequence.

Clearly, he has the better opportunity to win this game.

Solution:

At each draw, the number of strawberry candies are either decreasing by 2 or not decreasing at all. In the case of orange candies, at each draw, they are either increasing by 1 or decreasing by 1.

Thus on an assumed outset with at least one candy in the jar to begin with, if the number of strawberry candies are 0 or are even in numbers, they will finish off leaving an orange candy at the end. If otherwise, the remaining candy will be a strawberry one.

Solution:

NOWHERE

Explanation:
My present refers to – NOW (The present time)
My second refers to – HERE (The present place)
NOW + HERE = NOWHERE (A lack of place).

Solution:

The best way to analyze the situation would be forcing a win for white when the black player plays anywhere but a corner square. Refer to the given figure for the current positions. Now, if black plays 7 to block the white player from having three in a row, white will move 5 to 6 and will win. But since you get to place only three markers, black can place the marker at 6 and white won't be able to add one more at 7 to win. And moving the 9 marker to 7 will take two steps.

But white can still get to square 7 before black is able to block him or form a three in a row. In this manner, no matter what black does, the white player can always win the game if he begins from the center square.

Solution:

David to play second

Explanation:
Let's suppose that David plays first and he picks 9. Then Albert will definitely pick 8. Now, David will have to pick 7 or Albert will pick 7 in his turn. But if David picks up 7, then he will score 16 that is beyond 15 and will lose. So one thing is for sure, no one will be willing to start with the highest digits.

Suppose David plays first and picks up 1, Albert will pick 2. Then David will pick 3 and Albert will pick 4. Now David will be forced to pick 9. The score is 6 to 13 and thus David will have no chance of winning.

If David Picks 9 after Albert has picked up 2, then Albert will pick 8 and the score will become 10 to 10. Thus David will pick 3 as picking 7 will send him past 15. Now Albert will pick 4 and David has nothing to pick for winning. Thus Albert wins.

Therefore, you should suggest David to play second.

Solution:

Assume that P, Q and R are the three friends. Now P is earning X amount, Q is earning Y amount and R is earning Z amount.

First, P will add his salary to a random amount A and will tell the combined sum to Q.
X + A

Now, Q will add his salary and a random amount B to the amount passed by P. He will then pass it to R.
X + A + Y + B

Now R will add his salary and a random amount C to the total amount passed by Q.
X + A + Y + B + Z + C.

Now, R will pass this amount back to P. P will deduct the random amount added by him in the beginning.
X + Y + B + Z + C

He will now pass this amount to Q who will subtract the random amount he added in his turn.
X + Y + Z + C

He will pass this amount to R who will deduct his random amount.
X + Y + Z

Now this is the total sum of their salaries. R will tell it to P and Q and then each of them can find the average of their salaries by dividing the total amount with 3.

Solution:

Let us solve this problem with the help of diagonals. We know, that the sides of square are parallel. Therefore, the diagonals should also be parallel. See the picture, the yellow diagonals are drawn for referencing.

See the image, you can easily spot the four triangles highlighted with red color.

Now, in this picture, you can spot 3 blue, 3 green and 2 red squares. You can find four more rectangles but they can't be square as their diagonals are not parallel with our yellow referenced diagonals.

Therefore, total number of squares = 4 + 8 = 12.

Solution:

Let us first calculate the total number of matches that will be placed:
9C2 * 2
= 9! / (2!7!) * 2
= 8 * 9
= 72
Therefore, every team will play 16 matches.

Let us now glance over the cases that are possible.

Case 1:
Let us say that Team A, Team B and Team C wins 14 matches each (they lose 1 match each from the other two teams), then the Team D can win only (16 - 3 * 2) = 10 matches.

Case 2:
Suppose that, the top 4 teams win 13 matches each.
Team A will win 13 matches and will lose 3 matches from Team B, Team C and Team D.
Team B will win 13 matches and will lose 3 matches from Team A, Team C and Team D.
Team C will win 13 matches and will lose 3 matches from Team A, Team B and Team D.
Team D will win 13 matches and will lose 3 matches from Team A, Team B and Team C.

If this case actually happens, then the Team E will be able to win 8 matches at maximum as Team A, Team B, Team C and Team D will win all the matches played by E.

Case 3:
Suppose that, the top 5 teams win 12 matches each.
Team A will win 12 matches and will lose 3 matches from Team B, Team C, Team D and Team E.
Team B will win 12 matches and will lose 3 matches from Team A, Team C, Team D and Team E.
Team C will win 12 matches and will lose 3 matches from Team A, Team B, Team D and Team E.
Team D will win 12 matches and will lose 3 matches from Team A, Team B, Team C and Team E.
Team E will win 12 matches and will lose 3 matches from Team A, Team B, Team C and Team D.

If this case actually happens, Team E will win 12 matches but it still won't be able to get into the playoffs assuming that it has the lowest run rate among all.

This implies that from case 2, it is evident that a team must win 13 matches at the least to confirm its position in the playoffs.

Solution:

C is the top view of the given pyramid.

Solution:

98

Explanation : ab + a(a-1)
7 * 8 + 7(7-1)
= 56 + 42