All that is necessary is to tilt the barrel as in Fig. 1, and if the
edge of the surface of the water exactly touches the lip a at the same
time that it touches the edge of the bottom b, it will be just half
full. To be more exact, if the bottom is an inch or so from the ground,
then we can allow for that, and the thickness of the bottom, at the top.
If when the surface of the water reached the lip a it had risen to the
point c in Fig. 2, then it would be more than half full. If, as in
Fig. 3, some portion of the bottom were visible and the level of the
water fell to the point d, then it would be less than half full.
This method applies to all symmetrically constructed vessels.
365.--NEW MEASURING PUZZLE.
The following solution in eleven manipulations shows the contents of
every vessel at the start and after every manipulation:--
10-quart. 10-quart. 5-quart. 4-quart.
10 .. 10 .. 0 .. 0
5 .. 10 .. 5 .. 0
5 .. 10 .. 1 .. 4
9 .. 10 .. 1 .. 0
9 .. 6 .. 1 .. 4
9 .. 7 .. 0 .. 4
9 .. 7 .. 4 .. 0
9 .. 3 .. 4 .. 4
9 .. 3 .. 5 .. 3
9 .. 8 .. 0 .. 3
4 .. 8 .. 5 .. 3
4 .. 10 .. 3 .. 3
366.--THE HONEST DAIRYMAN.
Whatever the respective quantities of milk and water, the relative
proportion sent to London would always be three parts of water to one of
milk. But there are one or two points to be observed. There must
originally be more water than milk, or there will be no water in A to
double in the second transaction. And the water must not be more than
three times the quantity of milk, or there will not be enough liquid in
B to effect the second transaction. The third transaction has no effect
on A, as the relative proportions in it must be the same as after the
second transaction. It was introduced to prevent a quibble if the
quantity of milk and water were originally the same; for though double
"nothing" would be "nothing," yet the third transaction in such a case
could not take place.
367.--WINE AND WATER.
The wine in small glass was one-sixth of the total liquid, and the wine
in large glass two-ninths of total. Add these together, and we find that
the wine was seven-eighteenths of total fluid, and therefore the water
eleven-eighteenths.
368.--THE KEG OF WINE.
The capacity of the jug must have been a little less than three gallons.
To be more exact, it was 2.93 gallons.
369.--MIXING THE TEA.
There are three ways of mixing the teas. Taking them in the order of
quality, 2s. 6d., 2s. 3d., 1s. 9p., mix 16 lbs., 1 lb., 3 lbs.; or 14
lbs., 4 lbs., 2 lbs.; or 12 lbs., 7 lbs., 1 lb. In every case the
twenty pounds mixture should be worth 2s. 41/2d. per pound; but the last
case requires the smallest quantity of the best tea, therefore it is
the correct answer.
370.--A PACKING PUZZLE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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