PLEASE DO NOT LOOK UP THE ANSWERS ON THE INTERNET AND POST THEM HERE. If you want to look up the answers that's fine. The answers are out there, they are not that hard to find. Some people like to try and solve the riddle before giving up and looking up the answers. This is for those people. Enjoy...



a man has a gold chain with 7 links. he needs the service of a laborer for 7 days at a fee of one gold link per day. however, each day of work needs to be paid for separately. in other words, the worker must be paid each day after working and if the laborer is ever overpaid he will quit with the extra money. also he will never allow himself to be owed a link.

what is the fewest # of cuts to the chain to facilitate this arrangement and how does that guarantee payment?

 

I don't think I understand the question...
I know that with three cuts, you'll have 7 individual links, and you can then pay the laborer over the 7 days, but I don't think that's the answer.
Also what do you mean by guaranteeing payment?

 

Hmm... My guess is below, spaced so that people don't see it.













3: # the links 1-7. Cut the #2, detach #1 from #2, then detach #2 from #3. Cut #4, detach #3 from #4, then #4 from #5. Last, cut #6, remove #5 from #6, then remove #7 from #6, and finally give the man his #6 bling bling.

Correct?

 

You guys are both on the right track, but you can do it in less than 3. The guarantee payment part just means the worker needs to be paid. No, IOU's or overpaying.

 

Fold the chain up and make one cut to separate all the links at once?

- Warren

 

Good thinking, but that's not it. Think of the cutting as using wire-snippers, you can only cut one link at a time. And, thanks for not looking it up this time

 

The answer is 2 (see below):

Day 1: Cut off one link and pay
Day 2: Cut off two links and give it to him and take the one link back
Day 3: Give him the one link you took back on Day 2
Day 4: Give him the remaining link (4 links) and take back the 1 link and the 2 link
Day 5: Give him the one link you took
Day 6: Give him the part with two links and take back the single link
Day 7: Give him the single link

I WIN!!!!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by texasbman
[B]The answer is 2 (see below):

Day 1:

 

Cut the 3rd link?

 

After cutting the 3rd link, you'll have 3 pieces of links
1. The first 2 links
2. The third link
3. The last 4 links

Day 1: give the single link
Day 2: take back single link, give 2 links
Day 3: give back single link
Day 4: take back all, give 4 links
Day 5: give single link
Day 6: take back single link, give 2 links
Day 7: give back single link