It’s 1851. You were on a whaling mission, but a terrible storm tore your ship apart. Out of a crew of 27, there are only 5 of you left, stranded on a rowboat waiting-hoping- to drift toward land or get picked up by a passing ship
All you have to eat is a box of cookies-20 in all. And, thankfully, a 40-gallon barrel marked “Drinking Water.” Chained to that barrel is a metal measuring cup marked “1 cup.” The first mate, the only officer left alive, remarked that he had heard that a 40-gallong barrel of water lasted 10 men for 16 days after their ship, the SS Jefferson, went down several years ago.
You know you must establish hard and fast rules now about how much water each person can drink each day before everyone becomes crazy with thirst. The oceans abound with tales of what happens to dehydrated sailors. You don’t want to end up like those people!
How long will the barrel of water keep the 5 of you alive until you either reach land or get rescued at sea?
How many cups of water can each person drink each day?
Based on how many days you can survive with the available water supply, how can you divide the cookies between you so that each person gets a piece ever day?