There are two unmarked buckets by a stream.

Question

There are two unmarked buckets by a stream. the buckets hold 19 and 8 gallons of water respectivelY. how can 14 gallons of water be obtained, to take home? complete the sequence below, the numbers represent the number of gallons in each bucket in each sucessive step. BiG: 19, 11, 3, 3, 0, 19, 14, 14

Answer 1

Aaron,

 

1) First fill the larger bucket, it holds 19 gallons of water

2) Transfer water to smaller bucket till the smaller bucket is full, so you have 19-8 = 11 gallons in the big bucket

3) Empty the smaller bucket

4) Fill it again with water from larger bucket, now you have 11-8 = 3 gallons remaining in larger bucket

5) Empty the smaller bucket

6) Transfer remaining 3 gallons of water from the larger bucket to the smaller bucket

7) Fill the larger bucket with water from stream so you have 19 gallons

8) Transfer water to smaller bucket till it fills, since it had 3 gallons (from step 6), it will take another 8-3 = 5 gallons

9) Now you have 19-5 = 14 gallons left in the big bucket to take home

Answer 2

Hi Aaron,

I am assuming the availability of a third collection bucket able to hold at least 14 gallons.

If so, then fill the 19 gal bucket and pour out 8 gal. to fill the 8 gal. bucket. Empty the 8 gal bucket. That leaves 11 gallons to transfer to the collection bucket.

Now refill the 19 gal bucket and pour out 8 gallons to fill the 8 gal bucket. Pour out the 8 gal bucket on the grass. Then pour another 8 gal to fill the 8 gal bucket again. That leaves 3 gal in the 19 gal bucket which you transfer into the collection bucket to make a total of 14 gal.

This seems like a waste of good water, but it works!