Question 455672: Camilla is going to an auction and desperately wants to buy a velvet painting of dogs playing cards. At this auction, however, people bid with grams of gold instead of money. She owns a gold chain with 23 links, each weighing one gram. She is willing to spend it all if necessary, but if she wins the painting with a bid less than 23 grams, she will need to cut the chain. Only a jeweler can cut open a link. she could have a jeweler cut open every link before the auction, but then any links not spent at the auction would be ruined. After careful thought, Camilla figures out a way for the jeweler to cut only two links in such a way that she would be able to pay any sum from 1 to 23 grams at the auction. How was this accomplished?
Answer by jorel1380(3719)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! If you make cuts at the 4th and the 11th links of the chain, you'll have two open links and lengths of 3, 6, and 12 connected links and can make any combination of 1 to 23 links with the pieces you have. Thus Camilla can pay for her tacky velvet painting of dogs playing poker. How much was the one of Elvis?
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