George has a 5 pint pitcher and a 3 pint pitcher that are both empty. Each move consists of either pouring water into a pitcher, out of a pitcher, or from one pitcher to the other. What is the least number of moves it would take to get 4 pints of water in the 5 pint pitcher? The 3 pint pitcher can have water in it when you are done.
To find the least number of moves it would take to get 4 pints of water in the 5 pint pitcher, we can use a strategy called the Water Jug Problem.
First, let's break down the problem into smaller steps:
1. Fill the 5 pint pitcher to its maximum capacity of 5 pints. (1 move)
2. Pour the 5 pints from the 5 pint pitcher into the 3 pint pitcher, which will fill it to its maximum capacity of 3 pints. (2 moves: pour into the 3 pint pitcher, and then fill the 5 pint pitcher again)
3. Empty the 3 pint pitcher. (3 moves: pour out of the 3 pint pitcher)
4. Pour the remaining 2 pints from the 5 pint pitcher into the 3 pint pitcher. (4 moves: pour into the 3 pint pitcher)
Now, there are 2 pints of water in the 3 pint pitcher, and we still have 2 pints of water in the 5 pint pitcher.
5. Fill the 5 pint pitcher to its maximum capacity again. (5 moves)
6. Pour the water from the 5 pint pitcher into the 3 pint pitcher until the 3 pint pitcher is full. (7 moves: pour into the 3 pint pitcher twice)
- At this point, the 5 pint pitcher will have 4 pints of water in it.
So, the least number of moves to get 4 pints of water in the 5 pint pitcher is 7 moves.