Answer thisif you can - 5 Pirates Puzzle
5 Pirates Puzzle
5 pirates of different ages have a treasure of 100 gold coins.
On their ship, they decide to split the coins using this scheme:
The oldest pirate proposes how to share the coins, and ALL pirates (including the oldest) vote for or against it.
If 50% or more of the pirates vote for it, then the coins will be shared that way. Otherwise, the pirate proposing the scheme will be thrown overboard, and the process is repeated with the pirates that remain.
As pirates tend to be a bloodthirsty bunch, if a pirate would get the same number of coins if he voted for or against a proposal, he will vote against so that the pirate who proposed the plan will be thrown overboard.
Assuming that all 5 pirates are intelligent, rational, greedy, and do not wish to die, (and are rather good at math for pirates) what will happen?
If the pirates are totally greedy but totally honest the 3 oldest get thrown overboard one by one and the oldest of the 2 pirates that are left gets to decide and could decide to keep all the coins. But...
But besides being greedy they probably are not honest. As soon as the oldest gets thrown overboard, there would be a battle royale throwing everyone possible overboard and the survivor would keep all the gold coins.
To understand pirate mentality, just watch a few episodes of the WWE.
However the oldest pirate didn't get to be an old pirate by being stupid so he would make a plan that the 3 oldest pirates each get 33 coins and don't get thrown overboard. That leaves one coin left for the 2 youngest pirates to keep them busy fighting over it.
But the oldest pirate is smart enough to know that if either of the 2nd or 3rd oldest figures out that with the oldest overboard, then they could vote themselves 50 coins each with their 2 votes. So the oldest decided to give the 2 youngest 5 coins each, and keep 90 coins for himself. The 2 youngest know that if the oldest gets thrown overboard, then they might get nothing so they agree to the oldest pirate's plan. The 2nd and 3rd oldest get nothing.
Then the oldest pirate went into politics and is still cheating everyone he can, buying votes and keeping the riches for himself.
😵
Well, according to this:
"As pirates tend to be a bloodthirsty bunch, if a pirate would get the same number of coins if he voted for or against a proposal, he will vote against so that the pirate who proposed the plan will be thrown overboard."
The only logical outcome would be that only two pirates are left in the end, each getting 50 gold coins (50/50).
But they are greedy... so I might as well be wrong. But that's what I could come up with.
~Vancry
Nice question! Needs a bit of thought ;-)
Would like to include this in our next Math magazine. You can see the current N.11 here. Thanks!
Pretty cool problem. Thanks for the post.