Solution:

answer is: 14

Let x be the answer we want, the number of drops required.

So if the first egg breaks maximum we can have x-1 drops and so we must always put the first egg from height x. So we have determined that for a given x we must drop the first ball from x height. And now if the first drop of the first egg doesn’t breaks we can have x-2 drops for the second egg if the first egg breaks in the second drop.

Taking an example, lets say 16 is my answer. That I need 16 drops to find out the answer. Lets see whether we can find out the height in 16 drops. First we drop from height 16,and if it breaks we try all floors from 1 to 15.If the egg don’t break then we have left 15 drops, so we will drop it from 16+15+1 =32nd floor. The reason being if it breaks at 32nd floor we can try all the floors from 17 to 31 in 14 drops (total of 16 drops). Now if it did not break then we have left 13 drops. and we can figure out whether we can find out whether we can figure out the floor in 16 drops.

Lets take the case with 16 as the answer

1 + 15 16 if breaks at 16 checks from 1 to 15 in 15 drops
1 + 14 31 if breaks at 31 checks from 17 to 30 in 14 drops
1 + 13 45 .....
1 + 12 58
1 + 11 70
1 + 10 81
1 + 9 91
1 + 8 100 We can easily do in the end as we have enough drops to accomplish the task


Now finding out the optimal one we can see that we could have done it in either 15 or 14 drops only but how can we find the optimal one. From the above table we can see that the optimal one will be needing 0 linear trials in the last step.

So we could write it as

(1+p) + (1+(p-1))+ (1+(p-2)) + .........+ (1+0) >= 100.

Let 1+p=q which is the answer we are looking for

q (q+1)/2 >=100

Solving for 100 you get q=14.
So the answer is: 14
Drop first orb from floors 14, 27, 39, 50, 60, 69, 77, 84, 90, 95, 99, 100... (i.e. move up 14 then 13, then 12 floors, etc) until it breaks (or doesn't at 100)

Solution:

It will take the man 58 minutes to reach the top.

Since he is climbing 3 feet and falling 2 feet back every passing minute, he is actually climbing 1 feet every minute.
Therefore, he would have climbed 57 feet in 57 minutes. The remaining distance is 3 feet. He will take one more minute to climb it and reach the surface. Since he has reached the top surface, he won't slip back.

Solution:

Align the toothpicks to form TEN. Use one toothpick for each of the lines.

Solution:

I spoke with Joe.

Explanation:
There can be only two cases. Either Zoe is a liar or Joe is a liar.

First Case
Let us assume that Zoe is a liar and Joe is a truthful person.
If I asked the question from Joe, the answer will be yes. If I asked the question from Zoe, the answer will be no. Thus in this case, I must have asked from Joe.

Second Case
Let us assume that Zoe is a truthful and Joe is a liar.
If I asked the question from Joe, the answer will be yes. If I asked the question from Zoe, the answer will be no. Thus in this case as well, I must have asked from Joe only.

Solution:

Here is a way to do it. We dont know if it can be done using some other arrangement or not. If you know, do send us.

4 | 3 | 8
9 | 5 | 1
2 | 7 | 6

Solution:

Steps:
1) Light fire on first bar from both the ends and second bar from one end.

2) After 30 seconds(when first bar gets completely burned out) , burn the second bar from second end as well.

3) When second run completely gets burned , you know its 45 seconds.

Solution:

16-days

In 15-days, he will climb 15-inch and when he climbs 5 inch more, he will be out of the well :-)

Solution:

Karate Kid (car + at + tea + kid)

Solution:

step 3 is wrong

Solution:

Yes, you should switch the envelope. In the beginning when you picked up the envelope, you had a 1/3 probability of finding an offer letter in the envelope. There was 2/3 chance that the letter was there in the two envelopes on the table.

If you keep your selected envelope, you still have a 1/3 chance of finding an offer letter in that. However, since the interviewer has removed one empty envelope from the table, if you switch, you have a probability of 2/3 that the offer letter is inside that.

Solution:

2 people

Say 2 helpers are Helper1 & Helper2

Helper1 food Helper2 food McDuck's Food
End of Day 1 : 1 4 4
Now 'A' will head back

End of Day 2 : N/A 2 4
Now 'B' will head back

Now Mr. McDuck have 4 day food :-)