A few years ago, back in my undergrad, I had a job interview for an internship position and one of the components of the interview was that I had to solve a logic puzzle right then and there. A friend of mine was asking about this particular logic problem and I managed to dig it up, so here’s it is:
Bridge-Crossing Problem
“U2″ has a concert that starts in 17 minutes and the group members must all cross a bridge to get there. All four men begin on the same side of the bridge. You must help them across to the other side. It is night. There is one flashlight. A maximum of two people can cross at one time. Any party who crosses, either one or two people, must have the flashlight to see. The flashlight must be walked back and forth, it cannot be thrown, etc. Each band member walks at a different speed. A pair must walk together at the rate of the slower man’s place, based on this information:
Bono: – 1 minute to cross
Edge: – 2 minute to cross
Adam: – 5 minute to cross
Larry: – 10 minute to cross
For example: if Bono and Larry walk across first, 10 minutes have elapsed when they get to the other side of the bridge. If Larry then returns the flashlight, a total of 20 minutes will have passed and you will have failed.