You have three water bottles with capacities of 8 quarts, 5 quarts, and 3 quarts. The largest bottle is filled with water, and the other two are empty. If there are no graduation marks on any of the bottles, how can you split the water evenly so that two of the bottles contain exactly 4 quarts each? You can only use these three bottles. Click below for the answer.
There may be other ways to solve this problem, but here's one sequence that works.
Fill the 5 quart bottle, leaving 3 quarts in the 8 quart bottle.
Pour 3 quarts from the 5 quart bottle into the 3 quart bottle, leaving 2 quarts in the 5 quart bottle.
Empty the 3 quart bottle into the 8 quart bottle , leaving 6 quarts in the 8 quart bottle.
Pour the 2 quarts from the 5 quart bottle into the 3 quart bottle.
Fill the 5 quart bottle from the 8 quart bottle , leaving 1 quart in the 8 quart bottle.
Pour 1 quart from the 5 quart bottle into the 3 quart bottle (filling it), leaving 4 quarts in the 5 quart bottle.
Pour the 3 quarts from the 3 quart bottle into the 8 quart bottle, leaving 4 quarts in the 8 quart bottle.
That's a lot to follow, so here are the steps in tabular form.
1 comment:
I'd pour the contents of the 8 quart bottle into your 5 quart bottle until it (8 quart bottle) was half empty. Then I'd drink my half, cheers! :)
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