[Guest]

Here is a straight mathematical problem, no tricks.

Three friends X,Y, and Z were passing through a desert. They felt hungry and wanted to cook some food for themselves. They had all the ingredients amongst them and they contributed equally to the pool except the fuel. They decided to burn the wooden sticks that X and Y had with them (Z did not have any wooden sticks). All sticks were identical. Total 8 sticks were consumed - 5 contributed by X and 3, by Y. Z said, since I dont have any woodsticks, I will pay my share by cash. He put $8 on the table. The question is how will X and Y divide the money between them for a fair division?

[Guest]

Complicated!

X should get $9 - $8 from Z and $1 from Y (which he has to give extra)

[Guest]

X,Y and Z used 8/3 units each.

X gave 5 units. He needs to get back 5-8/3=7/3 units worth of money.

Y gave 3 units. He needs to get back 3-8/3=1/3 units worth of money.

Z gives $8. $7 to X and $1 to Y.

[Guest]

$7 for the 5 stick fellow and $1 for the 3 stick fellow. Need to allocate the $8 in proportion to the net over contribution each made to the 2.67 sticks each person consumed to cook the food

[Guest]

Agree with Mogli/Karchi - I made a mistake in my calculations

[Akriti]

"Methinks" nice name!!!

[Akriti]

EDIT: posted twice

Edited May 19, 2011 by Akriti

[Guest]

I had expected some answers giving $5 to X and $3 to Y since they had contributed 5 and 3 sticks respectively.

[Guest]

I had expected some answers giving $5 to X and $3 to Y since they had contributed 5 and 3 sticks respectively.

I have been guilty in past of underestimating BD members too

[Guest]

X gets $6.64 and gets Y $1.36

Initialy both split the pot at $4 each. X makes the argument that his share of sticks is 1.66 the size of Y's.

4*1.66= 6.64. Y pays X $2.64 for the 2 extra sticks he used.

However, seeing as how they were friends and walking through the desert. They did not want to add any aditional animosity towards each other and agreed that Z should take his money back and buy a round of drinks when they reach town.

[Aaryan]

However, seeing as how they were friends and walking through the desert. They did not want to add any aditional animosity towards each other and agreed that Z should take his money back and buy a round of drinks when they reach town.

Hear, hear! Let's go down to Morty's! I hear they have great riddlers down there!

(if you've seen the old puzzles you'd know what I mean)

[Guest]

Since there is only one page of answers so far and took the time to figure this out here is my solution, forgive me if I repeated:

There are 8 sticks and according to Z 1/3 must equal $8, so each stick is worth $3 (8S/3 = $8, S=$3)

X gave $15 in sticks

Y gave $9 in Sticks

Z gave $8 in Cash

To even it out X get $7 dollars change and Y gets $1

Glamar

Edit: I agree with Mogli

Edited May 19, 2011 by glamar

[Guest]

Since Z didn't throw anything to the pool, we must assume that money will make up for sticks.

There were a total of 8 sticks, which sufficed, so everyone should had thrown in 2.6666 sticks (each)

This means that X threw in an extra 2.3333 and Y just an extra 0.3333, making X stick contribution 87.5% and Y's 12.5%

Dividing the total cash amongst these two would be:

7 for X + 1 for Y

[Guest]

x:7, Y, 1

Think it this way.

Total wood, 5+3 = 8,

therefore, each one is supposed to contribute 8/3 wood

However, X take out 5 wood, 7/3 more

Y take out 3 wood, 1/3 more.

z take out $8.00, which buy 7/3 wood from x, 1/3 wood from z.

Therefore, gives x 7.00, y $1.00

Here is a straight mathematical problem, no tricks.

Three friends X,Y, and Z were passing through a desert. They felt hungry and wanted to cook some food for themselves. They had all the ingredients amongst them and they contributed equally to the pool except the fuel. They decided to burn the wooden sticks that X and Y had with them (Z did not have any wooden sticks). All sticks were identical. Total 8 sticks were consumed - 5 contributed by X and 3, by Y. Z said, since I dont have any woodsticks, I will pay my share by cash. He put $8 on the table. The question is how will X and Y divide the money between them for a fair division?

[Guest]

ans: X $7, Y $1

Assume each stick worths a constant amount of money for them

that means 5sticks-$x=3sticks-$y=$8

8stick/3=2and2/3sticks(each should contribut)

$8/(2and2/3sticks)=$3each stick

for X: [5sticks-(2and2/3sticks)]*$3=$7

for Y: [3sticks-(2and2/3sticks)]*$3=$1

[k-man]

For the division of the money to be fair, Z's contribution of $8 should represent his fair share of the cost of the wood sticks. Assuming that $8 represents 1/3 of the cost of the wood stick, the total cost of 8 wood sticks burned is $8 * 3 = $24. So each wood stick is worth $24 / 8 = $3. X contributed 5 stick or $15. Y contributed 3 sticks or $9. Since the fair share of each friend should be $8, X should get back $7 and Y should get back $1.