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There are 4 women who want to cross a bridge. They all begin on the same side. You have 17 minutes to get all of them across to the other side. It is night. There is one flashlight. A maximum of two people can cross at one time. Any party who crosses, either 1 or 2 people, must have the flashlight with them. The flashlight must be walked back and forth, it cannot be thrown, etc. Each woman walks at a different speed. A pair must walk together at the rate of the slower woman's pace.

Woman 1: 1 minute to cross
Woman 2: 2 minutes to cross
Woman 3: 5 minutes to cross
Woman 4: 10 minutes to cross

For example if Woman 1 and Woman 4 walk across first, 10 minutes have elapsed when they get to the other side of the bridge. If Woman 4 then returns with the flashlight, a total of 20 minutes have passed and you have failed the mission. What is the order required to get all women across in 17 minutes? Now, what's the other way?

Read Solution (Total 4)

Woman 1 and 2 cross and take 2 mins ........................ 2 mins
woman 1 comes back............................................1 min
woman 3 and w cross bridge in 10 mis .........................10 mins
woman 2 comes back ...........................................2 mins.
Woman 1 and 2 cross and take 2 mins ........................ 2 mins

Total time taken = 2+1+10+2+2= 17 mins
14 years agoHelpfull: Yes(29) No(3)

Start point............end point
1234
12 starts
34.........................1&2(reaches in 2min's)
1 returns
134.........................2(1 back in 1min's)
34starts
1...........................234(reaches in 10min's)
2returns
12..........................34(2reaches in 2min's)
12 sarts and reaches in 2min's
..............................1234
total time is 17min's
13 years agoHelpfull: Yes(4) No(0)
persons crossing time taken person on other side
1,2 going 2min 1,2
1 return 1 min 2
3,4 going 10 min 2,3,4
2 return 2 min 3,4
1,2 going 2 min 1,3,2,4
time =17 min
13 years agoHelpfull: Yes(2) No(0)
1,2 2 1,2
2 2 1
5,10 10 1,5,10
1 1 5,10
13 years agoHelpfull: Yes(0) No(1)

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