Gizmodo Monday Puzzle: How to Figure Out Your Company's Average Salary
Dec 18, 2023 - gizmodo.com
The article presents a solution to a puzzle about how to calculate the average salary of a group without revealing individual salaries. The solution involves each person adding their salary to a random number chosen by the first person, then passing the total to the next person who repeats the process. When the total returns to the first person, they subtract the original random number, leaving the sum of all salaries. This total is then divided by the number of people to find the average salary.
The article also highlights the importance of random numbers in digital security and privacy, as they can obscure sensitive information. It encourages readers to explore alternative methods to the puzzle and to read the comments for more creative solutions.
Key takeaways:
The challenge was to find out the group's average salary without revealing individual salaries.
A solution was proposed where each person adds their salary to a random number and passes it on to the next person.
The first person then subtracts the random number from the total, divides by ten, and shares the average salary with the group.
Random numbers play a crucial role in digital security and privacy, similar to their role in this puzzle.
