Crossing the Moat Problem
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4 members have voted
January 15th, 2019 at 5:24:23 PM
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There is a castle on a square island. The island is surrounded by a moat 25 feet thick. You have two 24-foot boards but no nails or any way of attaching them to each other. How can you cross the moat?
For extra credit, what is the shortest length possible for the boards to get to the moat?
As always, please put answers in spoiler tags.
This is a rather easy one, so I'd like to put the following people on a 24-hour delay: Don, Gordon, ChesterDog, to give others a chance.
For extra credit, what is the shortest length possible for the boards to get to the moat?
As always, please put answers in spoiler tags.
This is a rather easy one, so I'd like to put the following people on a 24-hour delay: Don, Gordon, ChesterDog, to give others a chance.
Last edited by: Wizard on Jan 15, 2019
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 15th, 2019 at 5:44:59 PM
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You put a board across the corner of the moat, to where it just touches the outer banks (45° angle). You carry the 2nd board to the center of that one and make a T from the the center of board 1 to the inner corner of the moat.
PS I think you meant "how do you get to the castle" or "island" at the end of the word puzzle.
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
January 15th, 2019 at 5:48:19 PM
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Quote: beachbumbabs
You put a board across the corner of the moat, to where it just touches the outer banks. You carry the 2nd board to the center of that one and make a T from the the center of board 1 to the inner corner of the moat.
Correct! I'm still looking for an answer to the second part, which is required to win the beer.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 15th, 2019 at 5:50:45 PM
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Quote: WizardQuote: beachbumbabs
You put a board across the corner of the moat, to where it just touches the outer banks. You carry the 2nd board to the center of that one and make a T from the the center of board 1 to the inner corner of the moat.
Correct! I'm still looking for an answer to the second part, which is required to win the beer.
So much for extra credit.
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
January 15th, 2019 at 5:53:44 PM
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You stand the board up and use it like a pole vault and fling yourself across.
The mountain is tall but grass grows on top of the mountain.
January 15th, 2019 at 6:23:54 PM
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Quote: WizardQuote: beachbumbabs
You put a board across the corner of the moat, to where it just touches the outer banks. You carry the 2nd board to the center of that one and make a T from the the center of board 1 to the inner corner of the moat.
Correct! I'm still looking for an answer to the second part, which is required to win the beer.
I get 50/3*sqrt(2)
The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; but that is the way to bet.
January 15th, 2019 at 7:35:42 PM
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Put a board across the edge of the moat (EG: Top left) so it makes a triangle with the corner. Use the other board to connect from the middle of the diagonal board and it goes to the castle.
Basically you make a T out of the boards.
Basically you make a T out of the boards.
January 15th, 2019 at 11:01:23 PM
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So, for the extra credit:
you're pretty much at your limit for shortest in whole feet. The 24' board is 16.97' from the corner on each side without any overlap onto the shore, though that would be from the midpoint of an unspecified width. More than 1/2 the width would have to be on ground, or the board would tip when you walk it, so that would make the 2nd board span slightly longer than the following.
The distance from outer corner of the moat to inner corner is 35.36'. The distance from midpoint of the diagonal board to the outer corner is 12'.
So the second 24' board would only overlap the midpoint and inner point by a total of .64', or about 7.68" . All distances subject to slight rounding errors.
The distance from outer corner of the moat to inner corner is 35.36'. The distance from midpoint of the diagonal board to the outer corner is 12'.
So the second 24' board would only overlap the midpoint and inner point by a total of .64', or about 7.68" . All distances subject to slight rounding errors.
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
January 15th, 2019 at 11:34:27 PM
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Use the boards as ramps and
jump the moat with your
tricked out Jeep 4X4.
What did I win.
jump the moat with your
tricked out Jeep 4X4.
What did I win.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
January 16th, 2019 at 2:04:03 AM
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Quote: HunterhillYou stand the board up and use it like a pole vault and fling yourself across.
Thus, the fourth poll option.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 16th, 2019 at 3:00:41 AM
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Quote: unJonI get 50/3*sqrt(2)
I agree! I owe you a beer.
p.s. Sorry, Barb, I was looking for an exact expression of the answer.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
January 16th, 2019 at 11:05:48 AM
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...are the boards? What is the minimum overlap necessary to make a crossing? As BBB mentioned, without nails, you can't lay them edge to edge and get across. Does the calculation of the minimum board length take that into consideration?
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
January 16th, 2019 at 11:49:58 AM
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Quote: AyecarumbaHow wide......are the boards? What is the minimum overlap necessary to make a crossing? As BBB mentioned, without nails, you can't lay them edge to edge and get across. Does the calculation of the minimum board length take that into consideration?
You would also have to know the weight you were trying to get across and the deflection of the boards when bearing that weight.
