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The fog (Posted on 2005-11-01) Difficulty: 3 of 5
Somewhere on the high seas smuggler Stan is attempting, without much luck, to outspeed coast guard Charlie, whose boat can go faster than Stan's. Charlie is one mile east of Stan when a heavy fog descends. It's so heavy that nobody can see or hear anything further than a few feet. Immediately after the fog descends, Stan changes course and attempts to escape at constant speed under a new, fixed course. Meanwhile, Charlie has lost track of Stan. But Charlie happens to know Stan's speed, that it is constant, and that Stan is sticking to some fixed heading, unknown to Charlie.

How does Charlie catch Stan?

Charlie may change course and speed at will. He knows his own speed and course at all times. There is no wind, Charlie does not have radio or radar, there is enough space for maneuvering, etc.

See The Solution Submitted by Hugo    
Rating: 2.6667 (3 votes)

Comments: ( Back to comment list | You must be logged in to post comments.)
Some Thoughts re(4): new twist | Comment 20 of 26 |
(In reply to re(3): new twist by Bob Smith)

Clear enough, but not entirely correct.  I'll attempt a proof in a later post.

 

Nov 13th:  Bob is right.  The logarithmic spiral can work, under the right conditions.

Edited on November 13, 2005, 11:48 pm
  Posted by Mindy Rodriguez on 2005-11-03 22:39:37

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