2011-12-28, 03:50 PM
There's no solution unless there's a coin denomination other than $1, $0.25, $0.10, $0.05 and $0.01.
Here's proof.
Edit: damnit ninja
Here's proof.
- Observation 1: $1 coin is not one of the 6 coins. Because adding up to exactly $0.15 from 5 coins is impossible.
- Observation 2: You can have at most 1 $0.50 coin. Because if you had more than 1 $0.50 coin then you could change for $1 bill.
- Observation 3: You can have at most 1 $0.25 coin. Because if you had more than 1 $0.25 coin then you could change for $0.5.
- Theory A: One of the 6 coins is a $0.50 coin.
Implication: The other 5 coins add up to exactly $0.65.
- Theory a: One of the 5 coins is a $0.25 coin.
Implication: The other 4 coins add up to exactly $0.40.
Then the 4 remaining coins must be all $0.10 coins. Because if they were a lesser demonination they would add up to less than $0.40.
However this combination can produce exact change for $0.95 with 1 $0.50, 1 $0.25 and 2 $0.10 and therefore is wrong.
Conclusion a: None of the 5 coins is a $0.25 coin.
Implication: The highest possible denomination for the 5 coins is $0.10. However 5 * $0.10 < $0.65.
- Theory a: One of the 5 coins is a $0.25 coin.
- Theory B: One of the 6 coins is a $0.25 coin.
Implication: The other 5 coins add up to exactly $0.90. Since there cannot be more than 1 $0.25, the highest possible denomination of these 5 coins is $0.10.
However 5 * $0.10 < $0.90.
Conclusion B: None of the 6 coins is a $0.25 coin.
Therefore the highest possible denomination for the 6 coins is $0.10.
However 6 * $0.10 < $1.15.
- Theory A: One of the 6 coins is a $0.50 coin.
Edit: damnit ninja

