Latest self Aptitude Question SOLUTION: 1000 men are standing in a circle, numbered 1, 2, ..., 1000. 1 takes a sword, kills 2 and hands over sword to 3, who takes it, kills 4 and gives it to 5. This reapeats in the circl

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(#M40000112) SELF Logical Reasoning question Don't kill me! Keep an EYE

1000 men are standing in a circle, numbered 1, 2, ..., 1000. 1 takes a sword, kills 2 and hands over sword to 3, who takes it, kills 4 and gives it to 5. This reapeats in the circle. That is, whoever gets the sword kills the one near him and hands over the sword to the next. If this continues, what is the number of the man that survives?

Tijo Jose (14 years ago)

Solved Dundi Read Solution (8)

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hitesh gakhar  (14 years ago)

1 to 1000 are in a circle...1 takes a sword, kills 2 and hands over sword to 3, who takes it, kills 4 and gives it to 5....like this the sword moves the complete circle...killing all even positions...now we are left with all odd positions...like men no. 1, 3, 5, ... 999...and when 1000 dies, sword comes to 1 again... now it kills3 , and gives the sword to 5, and so on...on completion of round, the dead people were of form 4n-1...so people are left with form 4n+1..likely, 1, 5, 9,...997..and like this the sword keeps on moving and we are left with... are 1,9 , 17, ..993..but sword is with 993..

Is this solution Helpfull? Yes (10) | No (5)  

Ranjith  (10 years ago)

977 is the answer.by using josephus algorithm starting from 1 to 20 we get a formula 2(N-2^m)+1 where n is the total numbers m is the least square of two which is equal to or less than total.

Is this solution Helpfull? Yes (4) | No   

Tijo Jose  (14 years ago)

All your answers are wrong. Though Hitesh got near. For a hint, search for Josephus Algorithm. Or use a program logic.

Is this solution Helpfull? Yes (2) | No   

Tijo Jose  (14 years ago)

Or, here is another hint for you... Try finding out the survivor, when initial number of people are 1, 2, 3, 4, ... to some number like 20. Try to find out some sequence out of this. This surely will help.

Is this solution Helpfull? Yes (1) | No (1)  

Dundi  (14 years ago)

Only one can survive....

Is this solution Helpfull? Yes | No (6)  

Gokul M Nair  (14 years ago)

1

Is this solution Helpfull? Yes | No (3)  

Harikrishnan  (10 years ago)

The right answer is 2(488)+1=977
The problem is quite similar to Josephus problem.

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Devesh pandey  (8 years ago)

I took n=100
Method remains same
Solution to the Riddle using Josephus Problem approach:
The solution requires getting the nearest smaller number that is the power of 2, in this case 64 and subtract it with the given number.100-64=36.

Now we apply the formula;
2n+1 = 2*36 + 1 = 72 + 1 = 73.

Hence answer = 73

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