TED-Ed: Can you solve the fortress riddle? | Henri Picciotto

The kingdom is under threat from neighboring states that aim to breach its walls using siege weapons. The kingdom must determine the optimal wall segment size that cannot be destroyed by any combination of enemy wall busters. The Sieve of Eratosthenes, a method for identifying prime numbers, is adapted to solve this problem efficiently. By eliminating vulnerable wall sizes, the kingdom identifies 43 meters as the optimal wall segment length, ensuring its defense against the siege.

What is the main threat to your Kingdom as described in the text?

What is the purpose of the wall fabricator mentioned in the text?

How do the wall Busters of the rival Kingdoms differ in size?

What strategy is suggested to determine the longest wall segment that can withstand the siege weapons?

Who was Eratosthenes and what was his contribution to solving the wall problem?

Explain the method used to eliminate composite numbers in the context of the wall problem.

What is the final wall length determined to be safe for the Kingdom?