You need to transport a large amount of sugar (several thousand pounds) 1000 mil

Question

You need to transport a large amount of sugar (several thousand pounds) 1000 miles across a desert. The only way of carrying this sugar is by using a mule that can carry a maximum of 1000 lbs at a time. The mule has a sweet tooth and has the annoying habit of eating sugar at the rate of 1 lb per mile. The mule is also very stubborn and absolutely refuses to move in any direction whatsoever unless it has sugar to eat

Restrictions:

Only the mule can carry the sugar.

You cannot load more than 1000 lbs on the mule at any one time.

If the mule is going to move at all it must have sugar on its back to eat

Explanation / Answer

we can do like this.

load 1000 lb.

after 10 miles put 50 lb on ground.

after 10 more miles put another 50 lb on ground.

do this ten times till 250 miles and return to starting point.

(50*10+250+250=1000!)

now again load 1000 lb.

this time load such that total is 50 , we go farther(<500 miles of course)

again load 1000lb and do so.

after some time mule reaches other end with say some lbs

now , it comes back and collects till it reaches 1000 lb and goes back.

doing so is the best way to get the sugar across the desert.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse Y
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.