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)

I think that one cook would measure the herbs by eye, divide them into what he/she thought was three equal piles of herbs.  Then a second cook would pick the pile that looked the largest, a third cook would pick what he/she believed to be the largest of the two, and the measuring cook would take the last pile.  If the original way worked before, then why change unless the third cook was disagreeable?  Then it would be up to the third (new) cook to come up with a better solution.

Diana

Posted by Diana on 2006-02-10 12:40:50