You need to transport 10,000 lbs. of sugar 1000 miles across

You need to transport 10,000 lbs. of sugar 1000 miles across a desert. The only way of carrying this sugar is by using a mule that can carry a maximum of 1000 lbs at a time. The mule has a sweet tooth and it has the annoying habit of eating sugar at the rate of 1 lb. per mile (whenever there is sugar available to eat).

Restrictions: Only the mule can carry the sugar. You cannot load more than 1000 lbs on the mule at any one time.

Is there any way of having the mule carry the sugar so that at least some of it reaches your final destination? Explain your answer.
Do you think your answer above is the maximum amount of sugar that can be transported across the desert? Again, explain your answer.

*You do not need to use calculus to answer this problem (although you might be able to come up with an answer using calculus)*

This is usually presented in the context of a camel carrying bananas. Try here for an archived explanation. :wink:

Thanks but now I already submitted my paper. Anyways, this will be something to ponder over.

by creating more EQUAL mid-points we are going to save more sugar. That's what I told my professor....bu then she asked....
What would happen in the limit as # of mid-points reaches infiniti??