Lay 14 identical soda cans (lettered A-N)in a rectangular cooler with the following specifications:

The cooler is more than wide enough to lay down 4 cans but not wide enough for 5. Cans A, B, C, D lie next to each other to form the first layer with A and D against the corners. B and C are free to move a bit.

The next layer is E in the groove between A and B, F in the groove between B and C, G in the groove between C and D.

The next layer is H along the side of the cooler above E, I and J in the next two grooves, K along the other side above G.

The final layer L, M, N along the grooves of the previous layer.

Prove: no matter where B and C are at the bottom, the cans L, M, N are equally spaced and in a straight line.

It is a pretty complicated set up.  A picture will make things much clearer.

http://s7.postimage.org/4e2xjq6or/cans_in_a_cooler.jpg

<a href='http://postimage.org/' target='_blank'><img src='http://s7.postimage.org/4e2xjq6or/cans_in_a_cooler.jpg' border='0' alt="cans in a cooler" /></a><br /><a target='_blank' href='http://postimage.org/'>online photo storage</a><br /><br />

One of those should work

Posted by Jer on 2013-02-13 13:01:31