152 Combinatorial & Topological Problems
- DELIVERING THE MILK
A milkman one morning was driving to his dairy with two lO-gallon cans
full of milk, when he was stopped by two countrywomen, who implored him
to sell them a quart of milk each. Mrs. Green had a jug holding exactly 5 pints,
and Mrs. Brown a jug holding exactly 4 pints, but the milkman had no mea-
sure whatever.
How did he manage to put an exact quart into each of the jugs? It was the
second quart that gave him all the difficulty. But he contrived to do it in as
few as nine transactions-and by a "transaction" we mean the pouring from
a can into a jug, or from one jug to another, or from a jug back to the can.
How did he do it?
- THE WAY TO TIPPERARY
The popular bard assures us that
"it's a long, long way to Tipperary."
Look at the accompanying chart andsee if you can discover the best way
from London to "the sweetest girl I
know." The lines represent stages
from town to town, and it is necessary
to get from London to Tipperary in
an even number of stages.
You will find no difficulty in getting
there in 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11 stages, but
these are odd numbers and will not
do. The reason they are odd is that
they all omit the sea passage, a very
necessary stage. If you get to your
destination in an even number of
stages, it will be because you have
crossed the Irish Sea. Which stage is
the Irish Sea?- MARKING A TENNIS COURT
The lines of our tennis court are faint and need remarking. My marker is
of such a kind that, though I can start anywhere and finish anywhere, it can-
not be lifted off the lines when working without making a mess. I have there-
fore to go over some of the lines twice.