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)

such a great real world problem here is my solution

cook A divides out 1/3 from the pile
  - if B and C don't want it A gets it
  - if B or C wants it they get it
  - if B and C want it (repeat)

now if everyone wants all 3 piles then there is no problem (A gets pile 1, B gets pile 2, and C gets pile 3) but if at any time B and C don't want a pile A gets it or if only one of them want a pile they can have it and the other 2 re-divide the left overs.

Posted by tanx on 2006-03-20 11:00:21