Math Is Fun Forum

Ally

Member

Registered: 2005-06-24

Posts: 2

How to measure 4 lt using 5 lt and 3 lt bowls

Hi!

The solution given to the problem is :

Fill the 5-liter bowl. Then fill the 3-liter bowl from the 5-liter bowl. You will now have 2 liters left in the 5 liter bowl.

Empty the 3-liter bowl, and then transfer the 2 liters from the 5-liter bowl into it.

Now fill the 5-liter bowl again, then pour water carefully from the 5-liter bowl into the 3-liter bowl until it is full - exactly one more liter.

The 5-liter bowl now has exactly 4 liters.

My solution is :

Why waste the 3 lt of water in the first step.

We can fill the 5 lt bowl - 3 lt = 2 lt keep it aside
Put back the 3 lt water into the 5 lt bowl
fill the 5 lt bowl ie + 2 lt
Again fill in the 3 lt bowl and you have 2 lt in the 5 lt bowl

so 2 + 2 = 4 lt.... and no water wastage

Ofcourse my solution won't work if i have no extra bowl to store the first 2 lt.. then the first solution given is the one that works.

Ciao!
Ally.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: How to measure 4 lt using 5 lt and 3 lt bowls

Quite right - IF you can store 2 lt somewhere.

Perhaps in a hat?

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

Ally

Member

Registered: 2005-06-24

Posts: 2

Re: How to measure 4 lt using 5 lt and 3 lt bowls

Ha ha.....

No, not in yours as i can see it fits only your head.