Question

Assume you are shipwrecked, and there are ten of you in a lifeboat. You know that it will take ten days to reach the shore, and there are rations for only ten person-days. (The ration is the minimum amount necessary to sustain one person for one day.) How would you ensure the survival of all ten people until you reach the shore?

A) Distribute the rations equally among all ten people each day
B) Ration the food unequally, giving more to the strongest individuals
C) Implement a strict fasting schedule to conserve the rations
D) Attempt to fish for additional food to supplement the rations

Answer 1

To ensure the survival of all ten shipwrecked individuals with limited rations, fishing to supplement the food supply is a practical strategy. This approach extends the meager resources and involves group effort, reflective of lessons in resource management and teamwork in life-or-death scenarios.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the scenario where you are shipwrecked and have limited rations for survival, you would need to strategize to ensure everyone's survival. With only enough rations for ten person-days and a ten-day journey ahead, each person would only have enough food for one day. To extend these rations and ensure the survival of all ten people, a wise strategy would be attempting to fish for additional food.

By supplementing the rations with fish, you would increase the number of person-days the food would last. Not only does this provide a valuable source of protein, but it also helps to preserve the limited rations by stretching them over more days. Fishing can be an uncertain endeavor, so all group members should contribute to the effort, thus reinforcing the team survival efforts.

Comparing this situation to the illustrations provided, we see the importance of resource management and the ingenuity required in survival situations, whether it's rationing, recognizing the body's endurance like a car's fuel gauge, or the balance of trade in a newfound society.