Once again, Madadia's insipid explorer, Wigan Smith is on the trail of lost treasure. He has come across a map showing that somewhere in the middle of the Chillivalley desert, there is the lost city of "Kebabylon". To reach it, he will have to travel overland by foot from the coast. On a trek like this, each person who goes on the journey can only carry enough rations for one person for five days and the farthest Wigan Smith and his group can travel in one day is 30 miles. Also, "Kebabylon" is 120 miles from the starting point.

What Wigan Smith is trying to figure out is the fewest number of persons, including himself, that he will need in his group so that he can reach the "Kebabylon", stay overnight, and then return to the coast without running out of supplies.

How many persons (including himself) will Wigan Smith need to accomplish this mission?

Bear in mind that Wigan Smith has no moral character when it comes to money and wealth.

3 people (Wigan Smith and 2 others)

This solution only applies because Wigan Smith has no moral character.

As each person can carry five days rations for 1 person , and that the total journey will require 8 days (4 days there, overnight stay, then 4 days back), then the journey would seem impossible. However, Smith and 2 companions could travel 2 days and have 3 rations each. If one companion "Mysteriously died" that night, Smith and his other companion would have 4.5 rations each. At the end of the fourth day they would have 2.5 ration each. If Smith's last companion "Mysteriously died" that night, He would have 5 rations, which would be more then enough to stay an extra day and return to the coast.

Today's brain teaser courtesy of Braingle.com.