Problem of the Day
A new programming or logic puzzle every Mon-Fri

Average Salary

Welcome to the first day of May!

Three coworkers would like to know their average salary. However, they are self-conscious and don't want to tell each other their own salaries. How can they find their average salary, without disclosing their own salaries?

Enjoy your weekend!

Permalink: http://problemotd.com/problem/average-salary/

Comments:

  • Heroka - 9 years, 7 months ago

    Coworker 1 adds his/her salary to a quite large amount only known to him/her (and it's not rounded, so for instance something like 163.542 + true salary). This amount is communicated only to coworker 2. Coworker 2 adds his/her salary to this, and communicates this only to coworker 3. Coworker 3 does the same, and communicates only to coworker 1. Coworker 1 substracts the initial 'fake' amount, and divides by 3.

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  • Max Burstein - 9 years, 7 months ago

    Perfect!

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  • Akuji - 9 years, 7 months ago

    This can be solved practically. Coworker 1 takes a calculator and types in his salary. We then tape the display of the calculator shut and coworker 2 takes it. He types "+" and his salary, then "=" and hands it over to coworker 3. That guy types "+" and his salary, divides by 3, removes the tape, tada.

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