another mind boggling puzzle...just give it a try!

500 all the best urban

you already said that the camel can carry 1000 bananas max which i assume per trip. so, the answer is 1000 bananas. but the total bananas would be 3000 altogether regardless of the bananas been eaten by the camel.

The answer would be an optimum number based on a mathematical model. Optimum solution can be achieved by taking arbitrary points x,y.. along the way collecting the bananas on those points and load the camal to it's fullest capacity i.e. 1000 bananas per trip. Model will be as follows: Starting with 3000 bananas with full loading of camal there will be 5 trips to reach a point say "x" along the way to get 2000 bananas left, i.e: 3000 - 5x(bananas consumed by camel)=2000; x = 200 kilometers Applying same method, next stop at distance "y" from "x" would be with 1000 bananas left to load the camel, to it's fullest capacity, to be optimum: so there will be 3 trips now: 2000 - 3y (bananas consumed by camel) = 1000; y = 333.33 kilometers Now camel has traveled 533.33 kilometers consuming 2000 bananas and there are 467.67 kilometers left with 1000 bananas in hand, Now again fulling loading the camel and consuming 467.67 bananas along the way we will remain with at least 533.33 bananas which is the optimum solution for this problem. So the answer is 533.33 bananas:-)

As the camel can take a maximum of 1000 and can eat 1 every 1 km, i think that the camel will have to eat one before he goes, he can then carry the 1000, he will only be able to leave one at the end of the journey though. I think you have completely lost me.

wait! does the camel eat 1 banana per kilometer when he goes, and 1 when he returns?

For me, camel needs to travel with 4 pit stop (every 250kms) For the first 250kms=camel carry 1000 bananas less the 250 bananas (eaten by camel, since evry km 1 banana will be eat by the camel) with 750 bananas left, then less another 250 for wayback to get the additional 1000 bananas. Left is 500 bananas, in total 1500 bananas will be left for the first 250 kms the camel travels. for the next 250kms (500 kms total travel) same procedure. first 1000 bananas left 500 bananas (two-way). With 500 bananas left in the first pit stop. To get these, camel will consume 250 bananas with 250 bananas left plus the 500 bananas. Total of 750 bananas in the second pit stop. Another 250 kms (total travel is 750 kms) Camel will now travel only once with 250 bananas eaten. Left if 500 bananas. For the last travel, additonal 250 kms (total travel is 1000kms) camel will now only eat additional 250 bananas with 250 bananas left. So the maximum number of bananas the camel will transport to the other side of the dessert is 250. This is my conclusion for other possibilities: If the camel use one pit stop (1000 kms to carry the 1000 bananas) camel will eat all the bananas and cannot go back to the other side because the camel already ate all the bananas. If the camel use two pit stop (regardless of kms for every pit stop) same will happen using the one pit stop. Try these and same result will happen. If the camel use 3 pit stop (lets say 300,300,and 400 kms). Camel will carry only 1200 bananas after the first pit stop. To go the next pit stop. Camel will transport first the first 1000 and left only 400 and the camel can no longer carry the 200 bananas left in the first pit stop because the camel needs 300 bananas to be eat. Same will happen if other combination of kms will be used.

The camel has 1000km to go 3000 bananas to take with a maximum load of 1000bananas and mileage 1banana per kilo meter. The only way to achieve this is to keep the bananas somewhere in the middle and return. The camel has to do 2 return trips and 1 one way trip to take the 3000 bananas. So first it will move 200 kilometers consuming 1000 bananas. Now it is left with 2000 bananas, and 800 kilo meters. To transport this it will do one return trip and one one-way trip. This needs 3 bananas per kilo meter. So it will go until 1000 bananas are left. It moves 333 kilo meters with another 1000 bananas. Now it is left with 1000 bananas, and 467 kilo meters. So it can carry all 1000 and go on. By the time the trip is over it will eat another 467 bananas. It has now carried 533 bananas to the other side.