r
From the full 5-cup
pitcher, he fills the 3-cup
pitcher. Since there are
already two cups in the
3-cup pitcher, this takes
one cup only, leaving
four cups in the 5-cup
pitcher.
He empties the 3-cup
pitcher into the pond.
Seth fills the 7-cup
pitcher from the 12-cup
pitcher, leaving five cups
in the 12-cup pitcher.
From the 7-cup pitcher
he fills the 5-cup pitcher,
leaving two cups in the
7-cup pitcher.
He empties the 5-cup
pitcher back into the 12-
cup pitcher, which now
has ten cups of water.
He pours the two cups
of water from the 7-cup
pitcher into the 5-cup
pitcher.
He refills the 7-cup
pitcher from the 12-cup
pitcher, leaving three
cups of water in the 12-
cup pitcher.
From the 7-cup pitcher
he fills the 5-cup pitcher,
leaving four cups of
water in the 7-cup
pitcher.
He empties the 5-cup
pitcher back into the 12-
cup pitcher, which now
contains eight cups of
water.
He pours the four cups
of water in the 7-cup
pitcher into the 5-cup
pitcher.
He fills the 7-cup pitchei
from the eight cups in
the 12-cup pitcher, leav-
ing one cup of water in
the 12-cup pitcher.
He fills the 5-cup pitchei
with one cup from the
7-cup pitcher, leaving six
cups of water in the 7-
cup pitcher.
He pours the five cups
of water in the 5-cup
pitcher back into the 12-
cup pitcher. Both the 12-
and the 7-cup pitcher
now have six cups of
water.
40. The Three Steps: By pouring the water from the
largest jug into the smallest jug first, Seth measures out
the four litres in three steps. If he had poured into the
middle jug first, it would have taken five steps.