240 Answers- EXPLORING THE DESERT
The nine men, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, all go 40 miles together on the I
gal. in their engine tanks, when A transfers I gal. to each of the other eight
and has I gal. left to return home. The eight go another 40 miles, when
B transfers I gal. to each of the other seven and has 2 gals. to take him home.
The seven go another 40 miles, when C transfers I gal. to each ofthe six others
and returns home on the remaining 3 gals. The six go another 40 miles, when
D gives each of five I gal. and returns home. The five go 40 miles, when E gives
each of four I gal. and returns home. The four go another 40 miles, when F
gives each of three I gal. and returns home. The three go 40 miles, when
G gives each of two I gal. and returns home. The two go 40 miles, when H
gives I gal. to J and returns home. Finally, the last man, J, goes another
40 miles and then has 9 gals. to take him home. Thus J has gone 360 miles out
and home, the greatest distance in a straight line that could be reached under
the conditions.
- EXPLORING MOUNT NEVEREST
Dump 5 rations at 90-mile point
and return to base (5 days). Dump I
at 85 and return to 90 (I day). Dump
I at 80 and return to 90 (l day).
Dump I at 80, return to 85, pick up I
and dump at 80 (l day). Dump I at
70 and return to 80 (I day). Return to
base (l day). We have thus left I6050
40.s"s£.ration at 70 and I at 90. Dump I at 5
and return to base (l day). Ifhe must
walk 20 miles he can do so by going
to 10 and returning to base. Dump 4
at 10 and return to base (4 days).
Dump I at 10 and return to 5; pick up
I and dump at 10 (I day). Dump 2 at
20 and return to 10 (2 days). Dump
I at 25 and return to 20 (l day).
Dump I at 30, return to 25, pick up I
and dump at 30 (I day). March to 70
(2 days). March to base (l ~ days).
Total, 23 ~ days.
A few claims have been made for
fewer than 23 ~ days, but they were
all based on tricks that were actually,
or in spirit, forbidden, such as dump-
ing only portions of the sealed boxes,
making the man take a long march