Last time I
saw Mr. Portchester in London he was facing a serious problem pouring his wine
from one vessel to the other.
Mr. Portchester had two ten quart containers full of wine.
He also had a five quart and a four quart measure.
All he wanted to do
was put exactly three quarts into each of the two measures. He was standing
there wondering how he should do it!
Now I offered to help and gave him some suggestions.
Can you find out what
was my suggestion, and how many manipulations of pouring from one vessel to the
other did he require, without waster of any wine, tilting or other tricks.
Answer: The
following solution in eleven manipulations shows the contents of every vessel
at the start and after every manipulation:
10 Quart 10 Quart 5 Quart 5 Quart
10
10
0
0
5 10 5 0
5 10 1 4
9
10 1 0
9 6
1 4
9
7
0 4
9
7
4 0
9
3
4 4
9
3
5 3
9 8
0 3
4 8
5 3
4
10 3 3
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