Cooking For Engineers

[Michael Chu]

An argument has broken out over whether or not a barrel that looks to be about half full more or less than half full. Without any measuring devices (like a ruler, yardstick, measuring cup, etc.) how can the it be easily determined if the barrel is more or less than half full? The barrel has no lid and no rum was taken out.

[capstinence]

You could mark the current level of the rum, then put a lid on the barrel, flip it over, and open it up on the other end. If the level of the rum at that point is lower than the mark, it means that the barrel is less than half full. However, if the level of the rum passes the mark, the barrel is over half full.

I am, of course, assuming I'm allowed to mark the barrel.

[Michael Chu]

Hmmm... interesting solution. That could work, but I have another solution in mind that does not involve marking the barrel. Let us say that the testers have no tools at all.

[capstinence]

I got nothin' then.. but I'll sleep on it.

[capstinence]

Tip the barrel until the rum is both touching the lip of the barrel, as well as just managing to cover the entire bottom portion.. it's hard to explain without a diagram (I assume you know what I'm talking about, if not I'll scan it in). If some water pours out before you get to this point, you had over half... if it can't reach that point, you have less.

Whew. I was gonna be up all night.

[Michael Chu]

I thought you were going to wait until tomorrow! That's right.

Tipping the barrel until the rum reaches the lip and looking to see if you can see the bottom of the barrel. If you can see the bottom of the barrel, then it is less than half full. If the bottom of the barrel is not yet visible, then the barrel is more than half full!

[Cheshire Cat]

Drink the contents of the barrel. Then, you'll no longer care whether it was empty, full or indeed anything...


Oh well, I worked it out though. Capstinence, you seem to have beaten me to getting all the real answers, so I have to make something else up