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Question 204383: Go into an orchard
In which there are three gates
Thro’ all of which you must pass
Take a certain number of apples
To the first gate keeper I give half of that number & half an apple
To the second gate keeper I give half of what remain and half an apple
To the third gate keeper I give half of what remain and half an apple
And yet I never cut one Apple
Determine the smallest number of apples Coleridge could start with and fulfill all the stated conditions.
Answer by Earlsdon(6294)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! The smallest number of apples has to be 7.
To the first gatekeeper Coleridge gives half of 7, that's 3.5 plus half an apple, that's .5 to make 4 apples.
7-4 = 3.
To the second gate keeper, Coleridge gives half of 3 apples plus half an apple, 1.5 + .5 = 2 apples.
3 = 2 = 1
To the third gatekeeper, Coleridge gives half of 1 apple plus half an apple, .5 plus .5 = 1.
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