Problem 14 Answer

Follow the following steps:

  3     5
pint  pint
glass glass
----- -----
  0     5
  3     2
  0     2
  2     0
  2     5
  3     4
Or, here is another way that takes more steps but wastes less beer:


  3     5
pint  pint
glass glass
----- -----
  3     0
  0     3
  3     3
  1     5
  1     0
  0     1
  3     1
  0     4

In other words, fill the 3 pint glass and pour it into the 5 pint glass. Then fill it again and from it top off the 5 pint glass, leaving 1 pint in the 3 pint glass. Then empty the 5 pint glass and move the 1 pint to the 5 pint glass. Then fill the 3 pint glass and pour that into the 5 pint glass. A problem like this appeared in the movie Die Hard III.

Michael Shackleford, A.S.A.