TED-ED: Can you solve the egg drop riddle? - Yossi Elran

A jewel thief plans to steal a valuable egg from a 100-story building by testing with two replica eggs to find the highest floor from which an egg can be dropped without breaking. The strategy involves dropping the first egg at calculated intervals and using the second egg to pinpoint the exact floor. The optimal solution requires 14 drops, using decreasing interval sizes to minimize attempts.

What is the main challenge the thief faces in stealing the egg?

• Finding a way to escape the building

• Choosing the right time to execute the heist

• Determining the highest floor an egg can be dropped without breaking

• Avoiding the guards while stealing multiple eggs

If the thief only had one replica egg, what would be her strategy?

• Drop the egg from every 10th floor

• Drop the egg from random floors to confuse the guards

• Drop the egg from each floor sequentially until it breaks

• Drop the egg from the top floor and work downwards

Why are large floor intervals not ideal in the egg drop strategy?

• They may require many tests with the second egg

• They increase the risk of being caught by guards

• They require more time to execute

• They are more likely to break the egg

What is the maximum number of drops needed using the optimal strategy?

• 14

• 27

• 10

• 19

How does the thief decide the starting floor for the optimal strategy?

• By choosing a random floor

• By starting from the top floor

• By solving an equation to minimize the number of drops

• By consulting with the museum's security