The Divider-Chooser Method

The Divider-Chooser method is, by far, the most popular fair division scheme. Without
modification, this method only works for two players. Informally, it is referred to as the, you cut
– I choose method.
Given any continuous set S, the divider cuts S into two pieces, the chooser picks the piece
he/she prefers, and the divider is left with the remaining piece.

Divider-Chooser method

1. A coin flip (or some other random method) decides who the divider is and who
the chooser is.

2. The divider makes a fair cut according to his/her value system.

3. The chooser picks the share that is most valuable to him/her.

4. The divider gets the share that is left over. (If he/she made a fair cut, then the
divider still receives what he/she considers a fair share, half of the value)

Remember: The divider and the chooser do NOT know each other's value system.

Example: Divider-Chooser method to divide a candy bar.

Scenario 1: Scenario 2:

Divider
Chooser Divider
Chooser

Doesn’t seem fair because the divider The divider makes a fair cut and each
didn’t make a fair cut. (She was given the player receives what they value as half
opportunity to make a fair cut.) of the candy bar.

When the divider makes a fair cut, it means that each share {s1, s2, s3, … sn} has exactly the same
value as each of the other shares according to the divider’s value system.
Making fair cut can be a bit more challenging when different value systems are considered.

Example: Which of the following would be a fair cut for a divider who likes chocolate twice as
much as he/she likes vanilla?

Example:

Bianchy and Martin are going to divide a half chocolate, half vanilla cake using the divider-
chooser method. The whole cake is worth $24. Bianchy likes vanilla cake twice as much as she
likes chocolate and Martin likes chocolate three times as much as vanilla. Bianchy and Martin
are new friends so neither of them has any knowledge of the other’s preference of flavor.

Start by dividing each cake into what each player would consider fair slices.

Bianchy Martin
Determine the value of each share of this Determine the value of each share of this
cake according to Bianchy’s value system. cake according to Martin’s value system.

If Bianchy were the divider, which of the If Martin were the divider, which of the
following cuts would be fair and which following cuts would be fair and which
would be unfair? would be unfair?

For each fair division, which share would For each fair division, which share would
Martin choose? Bianchy choose
Try this:

Xavier likes strawberry cake twice as much as he likes chocolate. He likes vanilla cake three
times as much as he likes chocolate.

a) If Xavier were selected to be the divider, show two different ways that he can divide the
1/3 chocolate, 1/3 vanilla, 1/3 strawberry cake into two pieces that are both of equal
value to him.

b) If Xavier were the chooser and the divider cut the cake as shown below, which piece
would Xavier choose? Explain.

c) If the cake is worth $36, what is the value of the share that Xavier chose in part b?