Logic Puzzle Day 1991

Day 1,991, 02:44 • Published in USA USA • by Commius

I am a major fan of logic and mathematical puzzles. I guess, I find it a thrill to solve difficult puzzles or even fail them. On the first issue of my puzzle series I am going to give a simple but thought provoking logic puzzle which I found recently. I did not come up with these puzzles. The answer will be given at the beginning of my next article, but, please be free to offer answers or comment on this article. Enjoy!

Crossing the Desert

"An unlimited supply of gasoline is available at one edge of a desert 800 miles wide, but there is no source on the desert itself. A truck can carry enough gasoline to go 500 miles (this will be called one 'load'), and it can build up its own refueling stations at any spot along the way. These caches may be of any size, and it is assumed that there is no evaporation loss.

What is the minimum amount (in loads) of gasoline the truck will require in order to cross the desert? Is there a limit to the width of a desert the truck can cross?"