29 4.6 The Cook Oil Sharing Puzzle
Cally, Katy, and Jasnah buy a bulk container of 24 litres of cooking oil. The problem is that they intend to divide it evenly into 8-litre amounts in three different containers. The other two containers are 13 litres and 11 litres. They have a small 5 litre container that can be used. Katy comes up with a solution, and they all agree that dividing the oil will require seven careful steps. Can you find Katy’s solution or find one that takes fewer steps?
\(\begin{array}{ccccccccrccccc}
&\text{Action taken:}&&&&&&\text{Each}&\text{container}&\text{holds:}&&&& \\ \\
\text{Step 1.}&\underline{\phantom{000000000000000}}\hspace{0.25in}&A&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&B&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&C&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&D&=&\underline{\phantom{00}} \\
\text{Step 2.}&\underline{\phantom{000000000000000}}\hspace{0.25in}&A&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&B&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&C&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&D&=&\underline{\phantom{00}} \\
\text{Step 3.}&\underline{\phantom{000000000000000}}\hspace{0.25in}&A&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&B&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&C&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&D&=&\underline{\phantom{00}} \\
\text{Step 4.}&\underline{\phantom{000000000000000}}\hspace{0.25in}&A&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&B&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&C&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&D&=&\underline{\phantom{00}} \\
\text{Step 5.}&\underline{\phantom{000000000000000}}\hspace{0.25in}&A&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&B&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&C&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&D&=&\underline{\phantom{00}} \\
\text{Step 6.}&\underline{\phantom{000000000000000}}\hspace{0.25in}&A&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&B&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&C&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&D&=&\underline{\phantom{00}} \\
\text{Step 7.}&\underline{\phantom{000000000000000}}\hspace{0.25in}&A&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&B&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&C&=&\underline{\phantom{00}}&D&=&\underline{\phantom{00}} \\
\end{array}\)
