Eddie the eccentric elder

[BMAD]

Eddie, the eccentric rich guy, wants to give away one MILLION dollars. Eddie has two quirks: (1) he gives each person either $1, $7, $49, or some power of seven, and (2) he won't give more than six people the same size gift. How many people received money, and exactly how did he distribute his fortune?

[Anza Power]

Easy, just convert 1000000

₁₀ to base 7.
1 * 1$
1 * 7$
3 * 49$
3 * 343$
3 * 2401$
3 * 16807$
1 * 117649$
1 * 823543$

Edited July 19, 2013 by bonanova
fixed spoiler

[bonanova]

Anza Power has it.

Sum_n=0^pa_n 7ⁿ = 10⁶. Find a_n </= 6.

a = 1 1 3 3 3 3 1 1.

i.e.Eddie gave

1 gift of $1

1 gift of $7

3 gifts of $49

3 gifts of $343

3 gifts of $2401

3 gifts of $16807

1 gift of $117649

1 gift of $823543.