Logic puzzle

[AnthonyH]

I just thought of one and for laughs I wanna post it here, tell me what you think, but don't be a jerk about it please, no one needs that....

Five people are in a line
There are two rules to the line:

1. No leaving the line prematurely (persons 2-5 cannot leave before the 1st person)

2. Whoever is first in line must be the last in line
( Whoever's in the front must go to the back)

How do you get out of the line without breaking the rules?

 

[ancusmitis]

Waiting your turn?

 

[ancusmitis]

Wait...is this one of those things where most of the information is irrelevant? Like that puzzle in (please forgive me for using this example but Samuel L. Jackson was in it) Diehard 3 or 4 or whichever one it was when they have to figure out how many people are going to St. Ives (there's this guy on his way to St. Ives who meets all these people with wives and children and so on and there's this complicated multiplication problem but it's all misdirection you see, cuz he's the only one going to St. Ives geddit geddit hueh hueh hueh)

 

[AnthonyH]

No all info is relevant, you're first but you go to the back, then the guy behind you is now first and he goes back and It goes on for infinity unless you know the answer

 

[AnthonyH]

On second thought I shouldn't say that, 99% of info is relevant

 

[Datura]

You could join into a circle, meaning that everyone would be equally "first in line", then disperse simulateneously.

 

[AnthonyH]

Hmmm...hadn't thought of that....

 

[AnthonyH]

Oh wait......how could you form a circle without getting out of line?

 

[Ste11aeres]

Oh wait......how could you form a circle without getting out of line?

You're not forbidden to get out of line, you're only forbidden to get out of line before the person ahead of you does so.

 

[AnthonyH]

But the 1st person would have to leave the line as well, and they can't for they must go to the back

 

[Ste11aeres]

But the 1st person would have to leave the line as well, and they can't for they must go to the back

But while they're in the process of walking towards the back, they're not in line, are they. If the 2nd person who is now 1st starts walking towards the back before the prior person has reached it, couldn't that be the beginning of the circle?

 

[Crossbreed]

I guess #2, 3, 4 & 5 could leave in rapid succession as #1 transitions to the rear.* #1 (now being #5) could leave, too, since there is no one left in front of him/her...

*#1 is not in line at that point, so #2 can leave, freeing #3, etc.

 

[Ste11aeres]

I guess #2, 3, 4 & 5 could leave in rapid succession as #1 transitions to the rear.* #1 (now being #5) could leave, too, since there is no one left in front of him/her...

*#1 is not in line at that point, so #2 can leave, freeing #3, etc.

As 1 is transitioning the the rear, 2 is the new one, so 2 also has to transition to the rear-however, if 2 does this quickly enough, and 3 (who is now the new 1) also begins his/her transition to the rear quickly enough, you can start to form a circle before the original 1 has actually reached the rear. If 4 (who is now the new 1) can begin his/her transition to the rear before the original 1 reaches the rear, the line will be broken.

This will be easier if everyone in the line stands really far apart from each other, thereby causing the first 1 to take a while to reach the rear.

 

[Crossbreed]

#2 doesn't become the official #1 until the latter assumes his/her new position (#5). Until that time, #1 is in absentia. #2 is free to leave. If #1 still hasn't arrived at his/her new position, #3 becomes free to leave, then #4 & #5. When #1 does finally arrive, there is no one in front of him/her, so s/he is free to leave, too.