You have a 12 litre jug, an 8 litre jug, and a 5 litre jug. None of the jugs have any markings on them. The 12 litre jug is full, and the other two are empty.

How can you divide the 12 litres of water in such a way that two of the jugs (the 12 litre and the 8 litre jugs) have exactly 6 litres of water in them, and the third (the 5 litre jug) is empty?

Let jugs with 12,8 and 5 litre capacity be denoted by J12,J8 ans J5 respectively.

(J12,J8,J5)

(12,0,0)

Pour J12 into J8 and then Into J5 (0,8,4)

Pour J5 into J12 and J8 into J5 (4,3,5)

Pour J5 into J12 and J8 into J5 (9,0,3)

Pour J12 into J8 (1,8,3)

Pour J8 into J5 (1,6,5)

Pour J5 into J12 (6,6,0)

And we get the desired result!

OR

Just pour from J12 into J8 till both have same water level!!

-Abhishek

Posted by abhishek on 2004-04-03 22:13:19