A very tricky logic puzzle

[GlennB]

So, I have given the bananas to the Camel, Slack has given me the Camel Dung and Dan wanted a night out with Slack

 

Good plan. Also it leaves the camel spare, and I'm free for a night out ... (oops what a giveaway, how do I edit this?)

[GlennB]

Back to the camel, my answer is 400.

 

1st trip: he takes 1000 bananas 400 miles, leaves 200 and just gets back

2nd trip: ditto

3rd trip: he takes 1000 bananas, so has 600 left after 400 miles; he then loads the other 400. He then has 1000 bananas with 600 miles to go. He still has 400 when he gets in (or maybe 401 if you grab the banana from him as you go over the line!)

 

I defy anyone to get in with more bananas! Am I right, Dan?

 

Sounds good, assuming the camel always needs bananas to keep walking, which would only be fair. I get a horrible feeling that calculus might be needed to completely prove anything here

 

Hang on - just been doodling ...

 

1st trip: 1000 bananas 200 miles, leaves 600 and gets back.

2nd trip: ditto

3rd trip: last 1000 bananas, eating 200 on the way.

We now have 2000 bananas at the 200 mile point, and set about the next 200 miles:

4th trip: 1000 bananas to the 400 mile point, leaving 600 there

5th trip: 1000 bananas, eating 200 on the way, leaving 800

 

doesn't this leave us with 1400 bananas at the 400 mile point, i.e. an improvement on the previous method?

[Dan]

This was as far as got, have been preparing the boat for a trip tomorrow:

 

Glenn I think the next trip after the 200 mile drop off is 333 miles, that way you should have 1000 bananas at that point and 467 mile to go, leaving 533 to sell? I think thats right!

 

dan

[GlennB]

This was as far as got, have been preparing the boat for a trip tomorrow:

 

Glenn I think the next trip after the 200 mile drop off is 333 miles, that way you should have 1000 bananas at that point and 467 mile to go, leaving 533 to sell? I think thats right!

 

dan

 

yeah - I think the flaw in my logic is that although I get more bananas to the 400 mile point than Tench's solution, I'm about to lose out because it will take some inefficient trips (2x700 bananas compared to his 1x1000) to carry on

Let's see, with 2000 b's at 200 miles ...

 

next trip is 1000 b's for 333 miles - leaving 334 at the 533 milepost to do the round trip.

1000 more b's, eating 333 on the way back to the 533 mark, remaining 667, ie total at the 533 milepost of 1001 (I seem to have gained a banana Dan )

 

Carry on for 467 miles , leaving 534 at the market!

 

*But* I can't see any reason why the original 200 mile trip should be the perfect solution. Was a pure guess.

 

[Dan]

*But* I can't see any reason why the original 200 mile trip should be the perfect solution. Was a pure guess.

 

 

 

Because ideally you need bananas in groups of 1000s at the drop off. and you cant go more than 500. I started with 250!

 

dan

[Slack lines]

I thought I was doing well, to have 500 left

 

1st & 2nd trip=250 mile each way (leave 2x500)

3rd =250 miles (leave 750)

total=1,750 with 750 miles to go

 

4th=250miles each way (leave 500)

5th=250 (leave 500)

Total 1,000 with 500 miles to go

 

So it's back to the bluddy drawing board

 

 

 

Because ideally you need bananas in groups of 1000s at the drop off. and you cant go more than 500. I started with 250!

 

dan

 

 

 

Snap Dan

[GlennB]

Because ideally you need bananas in groups of 1000s at the drop off. and you cant go more than 500. I started with 250!

 

dan

Yep, bingo

[The Flying Tench]

Carry on for 467 miles , leaving 534 at the market!

 

Sounds right to me. Well done everyone - if I'm stuck in the desert with a lot of bananas I'll know who I'll wish was with me!

 

I'm puzzled, though, Dan that you set the question but didn't seem to know the answer without some calculation. Had you just made it up!?

[GlennB]

Sounds right to me. Well done everyone - if I'm stuck in the desert with a lot of bananas I'll know who I'll wish was with me!

 

A banana loving camel, I presume.

[cidermonkey]

I made an error in my calculations for 602 That's what you get for thinking you're clever

 

However - as you can only carry 1000 at a time you would have to throw one away (or eat it yourself) leaving only 533 delivered to market