Pirate Logic

[AB Editor]

You have five pirates, ranked from 5 to 1 in descending order.

The top pirate has the right to propose how 100 gold coins should be divided among them. But the others get to vote on his plan, and if fewer than half agree with him, he gets killed.

How should he allocate the gold in order to maximize his share but live to enjoy it?

(Hint: One pirate ends up with 98 percent of the gold.)

[bibblebub]

Perhaps this need to be in pirate speak to get replies:-

Arrr, ahoy, ye have five pirates, ranked from 5 t' 1 in descendin' order.

T' top pirate has t' starboard t' propose how 100 gold doubloons should be di'ided among them. But t' others get t' vote on his plan, and if fewer than half agree with him, he gets went t' Davy Jones' locker involuntarily.

How should he allocate t' gold in order t' maximize his share but live t' enjoy it?

(Hint: One pirate ends up with 98 percent o' t' gold.) Aye, ye scurvy swabs.

How should he allocate the gold in order t' maximize his share but li'e t' enjoy it?

(Hint: One pirate ends up with 98 percent o' the gold.) A pence for an old man o'de sea?

[Old_Geezer]

He can't. The others will vote against regardless, and share between 4 rather than 5.

[another-view]

Yes, it's a nonsense riddle. Even if he took just one coin, they others would disagree.

[bibblebub]

oh no they wouldn't

is this the 5 minute argument or the full half hour?

[Old_Geezer]

(Hint: The local undertaker is doing a deal if you buy four services at once.)

[B00]

Is it something really simple that 4 disagree with one, so he gets killed, then 3 disagree with one, so a 2nd one gets killed,and so on untill you end up with just one pirate?

[bibblebub]

What about the hint? What has happened to those 2 gold coins? Did they turn out to be chocolate?

[another-view]

I would guess so B00. All the pirates will disagree with each other until only one remains with 100% of the money

[auntflo]

I think:
5 - 98 coins
4 - nothing
3 - 1 coin
2 - nothing
1 - 1 coin

If 5 were to be killed, then 3 would always get nothing, and 1 would only get 1 coin, so this is the best they can hope for and will vote for this plan, giving 5 more than half the votes he needs.

[another-view]

But surely pirates 2,3,4,5 wouldn't agree to that!

[auntflo]

If there was only 1 pirate, then he would get 100 coins.

If there were 2 pirates, then the split would be 100:0 (fewer than half would disagree)

If there were 3 pirates, the split would be 0:100:0 (pirate 2 would know that if pirate 3 were to die, he would get everything, as above, so this is the only way for pirate 3 to save his own life)

If there were 4 pirates the split would be 99:0:0:1(giving pirate 1 a coin will secure his vote)

And so with 5 pirates the split will be 98:0:1:0:1.
Pirates 1 & 3 will vote for this as they won't ever get a better deal if pirate 5 dies.

[flobadob]

Going by the question the top pirate takes 98 coins. He gives a coin each to two other pirates, so that they'll agree with him, which will be 3 against 2 in favour of the split.

[EGTB]

Being crafty and devious the top pirate says to his mates
" to be totally fair we'll leave it to chance - what I'll do is toss every coin - and Heads I win and Tails you lose."
Being more brawn than brain they agree and the top pirate ends up with all the gold!!
But only 98%
But what happened to the other 2 coins -here's the stretch, either
When he tossed them they fell and got lost in the sand??
He tossed them so high that they were caught by a passing seagull
No I don't think so either now I've typed it !!

[Gizmonster]

.......... shiver me timbers - I beat ya all to it hehe:

http://www.theanswerb...s/Question627987.html

[another-view]

Nice try but this question doesn't say that they will reallocate after the pirate is killed.

[Gizmonster]

I think the OP has omitted the fact that if the highest ranked pirate is killed - then the next highest ranking pirate makes a proposal, etc ..... otherwise this puzzle doesn't make sense.
C'mon AB Editor ..................................