Darren has 16 motorbikes with a tank that has a capacity to go 100 miles (when the tank is full).
→ All the motorbikes are initially fully fueled.
→ Each start from the same point.
→ Each bike has a rider on it.
Using these 16 motorbikes optimally, determine the maximum distance that Darren can travel.
Note:
It is not necessary for all the bikers to reach at that final point.
Darren gets rid of the other 15 riders, sits on one bike with the others in his backpack, drives 100 miles, dismounts, removes a single bike from his pack, sits on it and repeats.
Total distance = 1600 miles :-)
That was facetious. But then the problem was poorly formulated.
Assuming instead the the bikes work like stages in a multi stage rocket, we can do the following.
All bikes start out together. After 100/16 miles, the tank on each bike is 15/16 full. Take bike #16 and split its tank content among the remaining 15 bikes, leaving it dry. Now each of the 15 bikes has a full tank. Abandon bike #16 and have the remaining 15 bikes continue on for a further 100/15 miles. Repeat the process as before.
In this way, Darren travels
100 miles ( 1/16 + 1/15 + ... 1/1) or, just over 331.4 miles.
Now, I hope Darren remembered cab fare to get home.
Edited on December 27, 2022, 3:13 pm
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Posted by FrankM
on 2022-12-27 12:17:53 |