Henry Ernest Dudeney/Modern Puzzles/30 - The Staircase Race
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Modern Puzzles by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $30$
- The Staircase Race
- This is a rough sketch of a race up a staircase in which $3$ men took part.
- Ackworth, who is leading, went up $3$ risers at a time, as arranged;
- Barnden, the second man, went $4$ risers at a time,
- and Croft, who is last, went $5$ at a time.
- Undoubtedly Ackworth wins.
- But the point is,
- How many risers are there in the stairs, counting the top landing as a riser?
- I have shown only the top of the stairs.
- There may be scores, or hundreds, of risers below the line.
- It was not necessary to draw them, as I only wanted to show the finish.
- But it is possible to tell from the evidence the fewest possible risers in that staircase.
- Can you do it?
Click here for solution
Sources
- 1926: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Modern Puzzles ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Locomotion and Speed Puzzles: $30$. -- The Staircase Race
- 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Speed & Distance Puzzles: $58$. The Staircase Race