The Chompem Cannibals of Drybone Island have the annoying habit of eating one another. In fact, Grandpa Chompem went missing only last week, and it was thought he’d lost his way home until his bits and pieces were found on the beach. One evening, the Chompems threw a dinner party, one of those bring-a-friend get-togethers. Six cannibals turned up and they decided to eat one another in turn. So someone was selected for everyone to eat (except the victim!), and when he had been eaten, someone else was selected, and so on. If it took one cannibal two hours on his own to devour one person, how long was it before just one consumer remained?
Answer
It took 4 hours 34 minutes for one cannibal to remain. It took 5 cannibals, 2/5 hours to eat the first victim, four cannibals 2/4 hours to devour the second, three cannibals 2/3 hours for the third, two cannibals 2/2 hours for the fourth and one cannibal 2/1 hours for the fifth.