All about flooble | fun stuff | Get a free chatterbox | Free JavaScript | Avatars    
perplexus dot info

Home > Numbers
Monkeys and Coconuts w/unknown variables (Posted on 2005-05-08) Difficulty: 3 of 5
This is a variation on a classic number theory problem, originally submitted by Ravi Raja here.

There are n men and k monkeys shipwrecked on an island. The men have collected a pile of coconuts which they plan to divide equally among themselves the next morning. Not trusting the rest of the group, one of the men wakes up during the night and divides the coconuts into n equal parts leaving k left over, which he gives to the monkeys. He then hides his portion of the pile. During the night, each of the other men does exactly the same thing by dividing the pile he finds into n equal parts leaving k coconuts for the monkeys and hiding his portion. In the morning, the men gather and split the remaining pile of coconuts into n parts and k is left over for the monkeys. What is the minimum number of coconuts, C, the men could have collected for their original pile?

See The Solution Submitted by yocko    
Rating: 4.4444 (9 votes)

Comments: ( Back to comment list | You must be logged in to post comments.)
Some Thoughts re: close, but not quite... | Comment 4 of 10 |
(In reply to close, but not quite... by yocko)

You say "nowhere in the problem does it imply that the number or monkeys must be less than the number of men" but the text clearly says "divides the coconuts into n equal parts LEAVING K LEFT OVER which he gives to the monkeys" -- and this does imply that k<n.

If you had written "...gives k coconuts to monkeys, and then divides the rest into n equal parts", your point would be well taken -- but as it is, your objection isn't valid.

  Posted by Federico Kereki on 2005-05-09 03:09:57

Please log in:
Login:
Password:
Remember me:
Sign up! | Forgot password


Search:
Search body:
Forums (0)
Newest Problems
Random Problem
FAQ | About This Site
Site Statistics
New Comments (11)
Unsolved Problems
Top Rated Problems
This month's top
Most Commented On

Chatterbox:
Copyright © 2002 - 2024 by Animus Pactum Consulting. All rights reserved. Privacy Information