منتديات المُنى والأرب

Eight Loaves of Bread

Here is a famous problem. Three travelers are sitting around a fire, and are about to eat a meal. One of them has five small loaves of bread, the second has three small loaves of bread. The third has no food, but has eight coins. He offers to pay for some bread. They agree to share the eight loaves equally among the three travelers, and the third traveler will pay eight coins for his share of the eight loaves. All loaves were the same size. The second traveler (who had three loaves) suggests that he be paid three coins, and that the first traveler be paid five coins. The first traveler says that he should get more than five coins. Is he right? How should the money be divided up?

[mklb2]
Solution:

The first traveler is right; he should be paid more. Each man ended up with 2 and 2/3 loaves (eight loaves split three ways). So the second traveler (with three loaves) gave 1/3 loaf to the third traveler. The first traveler gave 2 and 1/3 (or 7/3) loaves to the third traveler. The first traveler gave seven times as much, and should get seven coins, with one coin going to the second traveler.[/mklb2]