What a puzzlement ??

[pericat]

An unknown number of people are riding a train. At the first station the train pulls into, 1/6 of the people on board get off. At the next station 1/5 of the remaining get off. This pattern continues with 1/4 at the next, 1/3 next then 1/2. At the final station all remaining passengers exit train.
Assuming no one got on the train during the ride, what is the fewest number of people that could have been riding the train when it set out?

[dothawkes31]

6? I don't do sums, lol

[NoMercy]

I'm thinking six passengers. One disembarked at each station.

[NoMercy]

Thank God I'm not the only one who said that, Dot..... ;-)

[dothawkes31]

Tut, 'disembarked' don't get clever!!! 'got off' would surfice ol

[dothawkes31]

I can spell suffice honest!!! i think :(

[pericat]

Correct - now that's me lot - go do a suduko both of you

[NoMercy]

Actually.... do they disembark, or do they alight?

[dothawkes31]

It's correct???????????????? I've never got a mathamatical puzzle right in me life!!!! How is it correct????

[NoMercy]

There were six passengers. 1/6 of six is one. Then there were five passengers - 1/5 of five is one.... and so on....

[pericat]

LOL dot - cat food gives you brains - saw that comment you made about my cooking last night - taste before you criticize !!!!!

[dothawkes31]

eerr, no I'll trust your culinary skills peri thanks lol

NM that's how I worked it out but that should have meant we were wrong!!!

[NoMercy]

1st stop, 1/6 of 6 passengers gets off - leaves 5
2nd stop, 1/5 of 5 passengers gets off - leaves 4
3rd stop, 1/4 of 4 passengers gets off - leaves 3
4th stop, 1/3 of 3 passengers gets off - leaves 2
5th stop, 1/2 of 2 passengers gets off - leaves 1
Final stop, all remaining passengers get off (1)

In total, six passengers have got off train.

[dothawkes31]

yes NM, that's how i worked it out, but why is it right?????

[pericat]

Yes

[NoMercy]

It just IS, Dot !!! lol

[20SilkCut]

The fewest number of people riding the train is ONE...

the train driver....

am i right?

[redman41]

Don't forget the Guard, Ticket Collector and Railway Police ! :-)

[dothawkes31]

when it ended it's journey yes i guess, but the puzzle wording was fewest when it set out. Gobsmacked i got that right, I;m as smart as NM now lol

[20SilkCut]

Yes dot...the puzzle wording was 'fewest when it set out'...so the fewest could only have been the train driver - to drive the flippin thing....

i stand by my previous answer ...lol

[dothawkes31]

ahhhh, pedantic, but in the context of the last sentence of the puzzle you could be correct !!!