A man bought a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage from the market. On his way home, he came to a river that he had to cross using a small boat. The boat could carry only the man and one of the three items at a time.
There was one difficulty:
- If the wolf and goat were left alone together, the wolf would eat the goat.
- If the goat and cabbage were left alone together, the goat would eat the cabbage.
How could the man carry all three safely across the river?
Check if you were right - full answer with solution below.
Solution:
- The farmer begins by taking the goat across the river.
→ He leaves the goat on the opposite side and returns alone, ensuring no conflict occurs. - Next, the farmer takes the wolf across the river.
→ Since the wolf cannot be left alone with the goat, he leaves the wolf on the far side and brings the goat back with him. - Then, the farmer takes the cabbage across the river.
→ He safely leaves the cabbage with the wolf (as they do not harm each other) and returns alone. - Finally, the farmer takes the goat across the river once again, completing the transfer.