Three travelers come across a bag of coins. If the first traveler takes the coins, he will have twice as much money as the other two.
If the second traveler takes the coins, he will have three times as much money as the other two.
If the third traveler takes the coins, he will have five times as much money as the other two.
The Chaz said:I came across a riddle (surely with some number-theoretic background). Paraphrased:
Three travelers come across a bag of coins. If the first traveler takes the coins, he will have twice as much money as the other two. If the second traveler takes the coins, he will have three times as much money as the other two. If the third traveler takes the coins, he will have five times as much money as the other two.
A solution would be nice, but I'd also be interested in knowing the origin and/or common name (phrasing) of this puzzle.
Thanks.
The origin of the Riddle of 3 Travelers & Coins is unknown. It is believed to have originated in ancient Greece, but there is no definitive source for this riddle.
The riddle involves three travelers who come across a river with a boat and some coins. They must figure out how to divide the coins equally among them without any of them being able to see the others while crossing the river.
The solution involves one traveler hiding on the other side of the river while the other two divide the coins equally. Then, one of the two travelers crosses the river and the hidden traveler joins them to divide the coins again. This process is repeated until all three travelers have crossed the river and the coins are divided equally.
The riddle can be applied to real-life scenarios where individuals must find a fair and equitable way to divide resources among themselves without being able to communicate directly. It also teaches problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Yes, there are variations of the riddle that involve different numbers of travelers and coins. Some variations also add additional constraints or rules to make the riddle more challenging.