Submitted by 3fingersalute:
An explorer wishes to cross the desolate Saandhi Desert on foot.
It will take six days, but any one person can take enough food and water for only four days. Fortunately, the local village can supply him with men who will act as bearers, but they charge 100 pieces of gold per day for their work.
What is the least number of bearers he needs to help him make the journey, and what will it cost him in wages?
__________
Two people and 600 gold.
On leaving the village. Each person will have four days worth of provisions. At the end of the first day, the first carrier will give 1 days food to the other carrier and the explorer, bringing them both back up to 4 days of provisions. That carrier will then use the last days provision to return to the villiage. The second carrier and explorer will proceed another day, at the end leaving them each with 3 days provisions. The carrier will then give one days provisions to the explorer, bringing him back up to 4 days worth. The carrier will then return to the villiage on the remaining two days of food and water. The explorer will then have enough provisions to make the rest of the trip on his own.
