Fill the 5 from the 8 (3/8) (5/5) (0/3)
Fill the 3 from the five (3/8) (2/5) (3/3)
Pour 3 into 8 (6/8) (2/5) (0/3)
Pour (2/5) into 3 (6/8) (0/5) (2/3)
Pour 5/8 into 5 (1/8) (5/5) (2/3)
Pour 1/5 into 3 (1/8) 4/5) (3/3)
Pour 3/3 into 1/8 (4/8) 4/5) (0/3)

Score, please?

36-35 O.T.

*thnort*


:)

That's not an answer. This book sucks, foot.

Here's one for you, Clod

this requires some knowledge of horses and their shoes.

Is this a four-legged horse?

My google image search showed that most horse shoes take 6 nails. So Imma say $3 for the 24 nails needed.

Thanks glatt. I'll say the total cost is 2^(n-1), where n = 6*4, for a total cost of $83,886.08

Close, 8 nails is more common, re-figure.

Ok, revised to: total cost is 2^(n-1), where n = 8*4, for a total cost of $21,474,836.48

"four for the third"

I missed that part. It's exponential, and my answer is way off the mark. It's not in the same ball park, and not even in the same city. $3, hah!

Don't forget that you have to add up the price for all the individual nails. So your calculation is correct for finding the price of the final nail. I don't remember if there is a formula for doing a sum of numerous equations. There must be, and I just can't remember it.

When I break out my calculator and do a tedious 3 minutes of punching numbers in, I get a total of $42,949,652.95

FTFY

Hiya Clod! Plenty of room in my bitter barn, pull up a stump. Or a stack of numismatic catalogs, or a partially filled wine jug of either 8, 5, or 3 gallon capacity. Mind the pile of pebbles there, we'll be needing them later to drown our sorrows.