You want to go off to find the lost city of Zing, but it seems that the city is about 120 miles off the coast of the Pacific Ocean. You want to take the least number of people as possible, so to save you some money. Each person can carry enough food for five days, but you can only travel 30 miles a day. You would like to reach city, stay overnight, and start back the next day. How many people, including yourself, must you hire to reach the city? PS: You may not let anybody die.
You will need 3 other men in your party to accomplish your mission. Here's how the marching orders go: 4 men x 5 day's rations = 20 day's rations. 1st day - Four day's rations are used up. One man goes back using one day's ration for the return trip. 2nd day - Remaining three men use up three day's rations. One man goes back using two day's rations for the return trip. 3rd day - Remaining two men use up two day's rations. One man goes back using three day's rations for the return trip. 4th day - Remaining man uses up one day's rations. He reaches city and stays the night. The next day he returns to coast using up four day's rations.
