A pharaoh is building a pyramid and has contracted a worker to build it over the course of 6 days. The pharaoh has 1 gold bar in which to pay the worker but must pay him equal amounts each day. He only has the means to cut the bar twice. How is this accomplished?
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Brainteaser for the day
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6 comments:
He makes the worker finish in four days?
He pays him nothing each day and keeps the bar himself?
alright ...
day 1 - he cuts of 1 piece (1/6) and gives him it
day 2 - he cuts a double piece (1/3) and trades the double piece for the single piece
day 3 - he gets to keep both pieces
day 4 -
wait .. mmm .. the version I heard of this before was with 7 days :P
Answer 1: If he can cut it twice, then each time he cuts it he needs to cut 3 equal pieces. Does that make sense?
Answer 2: He should cut it twice by making 3 equal pieces. Then He should pay the worker by handing him a bar between 11:59 pm and 12:00 am so that the payment counts for two days. I know, it's a stretch...
Erica was basically right. she basically got it. cut it into 3 pieces: 1 piece is 1/6 of the bar, one piece is 2/6 of the bar, one piece is 3/6 of the bar. Day one pay, him 1/6. day two, give him 2/6, he gives you 1/6 back. Day 3, give him 1/6. Day 4, give him 3/6 piece, he gives you 2/6 piece. Day 5 give him 2/6 piece, he gives you back 1/6 piece. Day 6, give him 1/6 piece. You've paid him 1/6 each day, and at the end of the 6 days he has the whole bar.
VOILA!
That's a good one!
While I see what you mean by the answer, I think that with the way that you worded the question ("cut the bar twice"), Brittany's Answer 1 should work too. :)
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