Jump to content
BrainDen.com - Brain Teasers
  • 0


Guest
 Share

Question

A fruit seller has some number of apples and needs to divide them into equal groups.

He divides them in groups of 2, but finds he has 1 left over.

Then he divides in groups of 3, but has 2 left over.

Then he divides in groups of 4, but has 3 left over.

And so on, until he gets to dividing in groups of 17,

and the apples fit perfectly.

What is the minimum number of apples he has?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recommended Posts

  • 0
SO SIMPLE ITS 119

AS WHEN DIVIDED BY 17 IT GIVES 7 MEANS EXACTLY DIV.

WHEN DIVIDED BY 4 IT GIVES 3 REMAINING OUT

WHEN DIVIDED BY 3 IT GIVES 2REMAINING OUT

WHEN DIVIDED BY 2 IT GIVES 1REMAINING OUT

SO IT'S 119 AT MINIMUM

It's called SPOILER! Use it! :angry:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
A fruit seller has some number of apples and needs to divide them into equal groups.

He divides them in groups of 2, but finds he has 1 left over.

Then he divides in groups of 3, but has 2 left over.

Then he divides in groups of 4, but has 3 left over.

And so on, until he gets to dividing in groups of 17,

and the apples fit perfectly.

What is the minimum number of apples he has?

5045039 ... That is the minimum number of apples he had

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
119 without a doubt. Unless you intend for us to go beyond 4 to say 5 with 4 left over, 6 with 5 left over, etc.
:blink:

Can't be... the riddle says "and so on" so you have to use 5 with 4 left over, 6 with 5 left over, etc. until you get to 17.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
Yes, you get remainder of 1, which is what i mean - the question assume that we have spotted a pattern in the remainders. I was saying that he OP needs to hit that point home a bit more.

If you're not smart enough to read "and so on" and figure out the pattern you're probably not smart enough to figure out the puzzle.

It's called SPOILER! Use it! :angry:

Not really a spoiler if he's wrong...which he is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
If you're not smart enough to read "and so on" and figure out the pattern you're probably not smart enough to figure out the puzzle.

Not really a spoiler if he's wrong...which he is.

It's more the fact that, right or wrong, he should use a spoiler...Cause what if he WAS right...Then a spoiler should have been used. So either way...Use a spoiler.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

I noticed others came up with this as well. <_< I still don't know if it's the minimum. Has that question been answered? :mellow:

5045039

I came up with the same number, and went ahead to check... it is the Minimum.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
Ok, can you tell me how you derived this number ? ;)

The answer I got is 5045039 which I got the following way. Find the least common multiple of all numbers from 2 to 16 and subtract one from it. This number satisfies all the conditions of remainders for numbers 2 to 16. Now in order for the number to satisfy the condition of being divisible by 17, multiply the LCM by 2,3,4 etc and subtract one (these numbers also satisfy the remainders condition) till you find the one divisible by 17. Turns out, 720720 is the LCM and 720720*7-1 = 540539 satisfies all conditions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

saw the puzzle late..

but the soln is correct and also the methodology..

though there is one more method.

extremely longer though...

[spoiler='soln

']

As it is divisible by 17, lets assume no 2 be 17x

-also it leaves remainder as 9 after dividing it by 10, so last digit is 9

-it has remainder of 2 when divided by 3, so the series of no before 9 is 2,5,8,11...... 122........2103........504503....

-as multiple of 17, and we know its 7*7 which gives 9 as last digit, so no has to be either 27,37,47........... 296767...

-similarly find series for all..

and after a few hours u will find soln.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

;) 119 is the minimum number of apples that he will need to have with him

A fruit seller has some number of apples and needs to divide them into equal groups.

He divides them in groups of 2, but finds he has 1 left over.

Then he divides in groups of 3, but has 2 left over.

Then he divides in groups of 4, but has 3 left over.

And so on, until he gets to dividing in groups of 17,

and the apples fit perfectly.

What is the minimum number of apples he has?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
A fruit seller has some number of apples and needs to divide them into equal groups.

He divides them in groups of 2, but finds he has 1 left over.

Then he divides in groups of 3, but has 2 left over.

Then he divides in groups of 4, but has 3 left over.

And so on, until he gets to dividing in groups of 17,

and the apples fit perfectly.

What is the minimum number of apples he has?

5045039?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Answer this question...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...