island inhabited by dragons, snakes and crocodiles
Source: 1997 Estonia National Olympiad Final Round grade 9 p5
March 13, 2020
algebracombinatorics
Problem Statement
In the creation of the world there is a lonely island inhabited by dragons, snakes and crocodiles. Every inhabitant eats once a day: every snake eats one dragon for breakfast, every dragon eats one crocodile for lunch and every crocodile eats a snake for dinner. Find the total number of dragons, snakes and crocodiles on the island immediately after the creation of the world (at the beginning of the first day), when, at the end of the sixth day, there is only one inhabitant alive on the island, only one crocodile and during these six days none of the inhabitants of the island considered any to give up their meals due to lack of food.