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Thursday, August 05, 2010
The World's Toughest "Explorer" Puzzle
Here, in the middle of this confounded desert, is the lost city of Ishtar. To reach it I will have to travel overland by foot from the coast. On a trek like this each man can only carry enough rations for five days and I calculate that the farthest we can travel in one day is 30 miles. The map that I obtained states that the city is 120 miles from my starting point. What I am trying to figure out is the fewest number of men, including myself, that I will need in our party so that I alone can reach the city, stay over night, and then return to the coast without running out of supplies.
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Our intrepid explorer will need three other men in his party to accomplish his mission. Here's how the marching orders will go:
ReplyDelete4 men X 5 day's ration = 20 day's rations
First day - Four day's rations are used up. One man goes back using one day's ration for the return trip.
Second day - Remaining three men use up three day's rations. One man goes back using two day's rations for the return trip.
Third day - Remaining two men use up two day's rations. One man goes back using three day's rations for the return trip.
Fourth day - Remaining man uses up one day's rations. He reaches city and stays the night. The next day he returns to coast using up four day's rations.