Tuesday, September 06, 2005
How hard is it raining outside?
A group of 4 people, Andy, Brenda, Carl, & Dana, arrive in a car near a friend's house, who is having a large party. It is raining heavily, & the group was forced to park around the block from the house because of the lack of available parking spaces due to the large number of people at the party. The group has only 1 umbrella, & agrees to share it by having Andy, the fastest, walk with each person into the house, & then return each time. It takes Andy 1 minute to walk each way, 2 minutes for Brenda, 5 minutes for Carl, & 10 minutes for Dana. It thus appears that it will take a total of 19 minutes to get everyone into the house. However, Dana indicates that everyone can get into the house in 17 minutes by a different method. How? The individuals must use the umbrella to get to & from the house, & only 2 people can go at a time.
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If I were the driver, I'd just drop the first three off at the party then come on alone with the umbrella? Why bother with all the too-ing and fro-ing??
ReplyDelete:-)
Andy walks with Brenda = 2 minutes
ReplyDeleteBrenda brings umbrella back = 2 minutes
Carl walks with Dana = 10 minutes
Andy brings umbrella back = 1 minute
Andy walks with Brenda = 2 minutes
Total: 17 minutes
Very well done, Owen!
ReplyDeleteThomas, I wish I had been in the car with you. We'd probably avoid getting splashed by cars driving by, too!