Can anyone help me with this math problem?

Question

I have tried everything but I just cannot do it. Its driving me crazy!

It's the following:

8 quarts of cider were left in the punch bowl after the Halloween party. If, in addition, to the punch bowl, Shane and Kris had only 5-quart and a 3-quart container, how could they split the 8-quart evenly?

Answer 1

I'll represent the amounts in each of the containers as:
[8 0 0] (8 qts. in the punchbowl, none in the 5 qt. or 3 qt. containers)

Fill the 3 qt. [5 0 3]
Pour into 5 qt. [5 3 0]

Fill the 3 qt. again [2 3 3]
Pour from the 3 qt. into the 5 qt., leaving 1 qt. [2 5 1]

Empty 5 qt back into punchbowl. [7 0 1]
Transfer 1 qt. to 5 qt. [7 1 0]

Fill 3 qt. from the punchbowl [4 1 3]
Pour from the 3qt into 5 qt. to make total of 4 qt. for each [4 4 0]

There you go!

Answer 2

There may be a quicker way but this will do it.

Let A, B, and C be the 3, 5, and 8 quart containers and
A(2) etc. means amount left in A etc.

Pour 3 from C(5) into A(3) leaving B(0)
Pour 3 from A(0) into B(3) leaving C(5)
Pour 3 from C(2) into B(3) leaving A(3)
Pour 2 from A(1) into B(5) leaving C(2)
Empty 5 from B(0) into C(7) leaving A(1)
Empty A(0) into B(1) leaving C(7)
Empty 3 from C(4) into A(3) leaving B(1)
Empty A(0) into B(4) leaving C(4) as desired.

Answer 3

There is a catch to the problem. It says IN ADDITION TO THE PUNCH BOWL. so shane can put four quarts in his container and kris puts three in his and takes the bowl with the last quart.

Answer 4

They would add more punch to the bowl.