The apple seller’s puzzle
Riddle:
A man sells half of his apples plus half an apple three times, ending with no apples and never cutting any. How many apples did he start with?
Answer:
Answer: 7. Explanation: Work backward: After last sale: 0 → before last, 1 → before 2nd, 3 → before 1st, 7. This satisfies the condition of no broken apples at each step.