Solution #68: All Wet

Here are two solutions:

I.

  1. Fill the 3-cup container and pour it into the 5-cup container.
  2. Fill the 3-cup container again and from it fill the 5-cup container, leaving 1 cup of water in the 3-cup container.
  3. Empty the 5-cup container and pour the remaining cup from the 3-cup container into it.
  4. Now fill the 3-cup container and add it to the 1 cup that is already in the 5-cup container.
The result is the desired 4 cups.

II.

  1. Fill the 5-cup container.
  2. Fill up the 3-cup container using the water in the 5-cup container, leaving 2 cups in the 5-cup container.
  3. Empty the 3-cup container.
  4. Pour the remaining 2 cups from the 5-cup container into the 3-cup container.
  5. Fill the 5-cup container again.
  6. Pour water from the 5-cup container into the 3-cup container (that already has 2 cups of water in it) until the 3-cup container is full.
Now, 4 cups of water remain in the 5-cup container.
Source: Fixx, James F
Categories: Number sense, Process, Favorite
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