Problem 467. Mr. Pyramidad & Ms. Whissy Bolower

Created by AMITAVA BISWAS

Solve Later

{"relationships":[{"relationshipType":"http://schemas.mathworks.com/matlab/code/2013/relationships/document","targetMode":"","relationshipId":"rId1","target":"/matlab/document.xml"},{"relationshipType":"http://schemas.mathworks.com/matlab/code/2013/relationships/output","targetMode":"","relationshipId":"rId2","target":"/matlab/output.xml"}],"parts":[{"partUri":"/matlab/document.xml","relationship":[],"contentType":"application/vnd.mathworks.matlab.code.document+xml","content":"<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n<w:document xmlns:w=\"http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/wordprocessingml/2006/main\"><w:body><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>Businessman Mr. B. M. Pyramidad was drinking with his new girlfriend Ms. Whissy Bolower. He disclosed to her that he has an illegal business plan:</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"ListParagraph\"/><w:numPr><w:numId w:val=\"2\"/></w:numPr></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>He, as Boss-I, will recruit x individuals as Operator-II,</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"ListParagraph\"/><w:numPr><w:numId w:val=\"2\"/></w:numPr></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>Each of these operators will recruit x individuals at Helper-III,</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"ListParagraph\"/><w:numPr><w:numId w:val=\"2\"/></w:numPr></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>Every helper must recruit x individuals as Peddler-IV.</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"ListParagraph\"/><w:numPr><w:numId w:val=\"2\"/></w:numPr></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>All of them will be promoted to next higher level as soon as each of those peddlers deposit $1,000 cash to their acting Boss-I.</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"ListParagraph\"/><w:numPr><w:numId w:val=\"2\"/></w:numPr></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>Then, whoever was the acting Boss-I, he or she must retire, but the business will continue to expand as usual.</w:t></w:r></w:p><w:p><w:pPr><w:pStyle w:val=\"text\"/></w:pPr><w:r><w:t>Ms. Whissy Bolower has decided to blow the whistle. She is calculating that Mr. Pyramidad may come back at the Peddler-IV level after retiring. What could be the minimum x so he collects minimum y dollars net after retiring z times? Please try a general solution, the test suite may expand. For more information, see</w:t></w:r><w:r><w:t> </w:t></w:r><w:hyperlink w:docLocation=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_scheme\"><w:r><w:t>Pyramid Scheme</w:t></w:r></w:hyperlink><w:r><w:t>.</w:t></w:r></w:p></w:body></w:document>"},{"partUri":"/matlab/output.xml","contentType":"text/xml","content":"<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"no\" ?><embeddedOutputs><metaData><evaluationState>manual</evaluationState><layoutState>code</layoutState><outputStatus>ready</outputStatus></metaData><outputArray type=\"array\"/><regionArray type=\"array\"/></embeddedOutputs>"}]}

<p>Businessman Mr. B. M. Pyramidad was drinking with his new girlfriend Ms. Whissy Bolower. He disclosed to her that he has an illegal business plan:</p><ol><li>He, as Boss-I, will recruit x individuals as Operator-II,</li><li>Each of these operators will recruit x individuals at Helper-III,</li><li>Every helper must recruit x individuals as Peddler-IV.</li><li>All of them will be promoted to next higher level as soon as each of those peddlers deposit $1,000 cash to their acting Boss-I.</li><li>Then, whoever was the acting Boss-I, he or she must retire, but the business will continue to expand as usual.</li></ol><p>Ms. Whissy Bolower has decided to blow the whistle. She is calculating that Mr. Pyramidad may come back at the Peddler-IV level after retiring. What could be the minimum x so he collects minimum y dollars net after retiring z times? Please try a general solution, the test suite may expand. For more information, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_scheme">Pyramid Scheme</a>.</p>

Solve

Solution Stats

59 Solutions
26 Solvers

Last Solution submitted on Dec 31, 2020

Last 200 Solutions

Problem Comments

Problem Recent Solvers26

Problem Tags

non-sustainable business model

Community Treasure Hunt

Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!

Start Hunting!

Problem 467. Mr. Pyramidad & Ms. Whissy Bolower

Solution Stats

Last 200 Solutions

Problem Comments

Problem Recent Solvers26

Suggested Problems

More from this Author100

Problem Tags

Community Treasure Hunt

Problem 467. Mr. Pyramidad & Ms. Whissy Bolower

Solution Stats

Last 200 Solutions

Problem Comments

Problem Recent Solvers26

Suggested Problems

More from this Author100

Problem Tags

Community Treasure Hunt

Players