A jeweler employed a goldsmith on the condition that he will be paid with gold every day. The arrangement is such that the goldsmith will get a brick of gold every week. For the first week, the jeweler has the brick of gold but he can cut it only into three pieces. How should the jeweler cut the brick and make the payment to the goldsmith every day?

Hi Rachitha,

The only way i could think of is to make the Goldsmith work in the "Nights" for the first four days of the week.

"So that the Jeweler is not violating his terms."

Then make the Smith work for the remaining 3 days during "Daytime" - and this time he would pay the Smith with 1/3rd of the brick each day for 3 days.

So that all conditions in the Question is satisfied.

Regards,

Ashwin (IIT Madras).

Hi Rachita,

Or one more way of interpreting the above statements would be like this.

Say you cut a brick into 1/7th,1/7th and 5/7th. (But nothing is mentioned about the number of bricks. So the jeweler can have more than a brick)

So you need to cut four bricks, and keep paying the Smith with Gold, everyday with 1/7th of the brick for 7 days.

Best Regards,

Ashwin (IIT Madras).