Monday, April 28, 2008

Another Fun Logic Question

Here's another fun logic problem, although different in content. I've seen a different format of this question before (with different animals and such), but this specific one was assigned to me in one of my classes for fun. Anyways, here goes:

There are three hobbits and three orcs on one side of a river. They have a boat that can carry two creatures at a time. All have to get across, but if the orcs outnumber the hobbits at any time, the orcs will eat the hobbits. How can all six creatures get across the river? How many trips across the river must be made?

Leave your answers as comments. I'd love to see what you come up with.

1 comment:

Reluctant Kerry said...

This looks like the kind of stuff you will be encountering when you take the LSAT. Way to start studying early, instead of the afternoon before the test like I did.

Here you go:

TRIP NO 1: Orc and Hobbit cross the river; Orc remains on bank, and Hobbit returns.

TRIP NO 2: two Orcs cross the river; one Orc remains on the bank and the other Orc returns

TRIP NO 3: two Hobbits cross the river; one Hobbit remains on the bank, the other Hobbit picks up an Orc and returns.

TRIP NO 4: two Hobbits cross the river; both hobbits remain on the bank, and an Orc returns

Now you have three Hobbits on the bank and three Orcs on the original side

TRIP NO 5: two Orcs cross the river; one Orc remains on the bank and the other Orc returns

TRIP NO 6: the remaining two Orcs cross the river

Q.E.D.

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