Three cooks have each paid one third to purchase a bag of herbs. In the past, two of the cooks have divided their purchases in the following manner: First one cook would divide the herb, by eye, into two piles she considered to be equal. The second cook would then choose the pile she thought was bigger.

By what process may the three cooks divide their herbs in such a way that each was content that she had recieved at least one third of the total? (No scales or other devices are available to assist the division)

Cook A divides the herbs into 3 piles.

Cook B selects two of them, leaving Cook A with their pile.

Cook C then selects one of the two piles Cook B selected.

Posted by Elkor on 2006-02-03 16:12:52