Die Hard water bottle puzzle

[TeslaGirls]

Just sitting here recouperating and watching Die Hard with a Vengeance and have reminded myself how confused I have been for years over the 3l and 5l water bottle puzzle - where they have to get 4l exactly. I've rewound numerous times to listen t the explanation, but it goes too fast for me. Please could someone explain? In simple simple terms!

puzzles.nigelcoldwell.co.uk/twentytwo.htm

Try this!

Haven't seen it but wouldn't it just be fill the 3l twice to pour into the 5l and then you'll have 1l leftover?

I don't think it is how it is explained in the film but I would take the 3l, fill it, pour it into the empty 5l. Then refill the 3l and fill the remaining 5l bottle. This leaves 1l in the 3l bottle. Empty the 5l bottle and transfer the 1l into it. Then fill the 3l and transfer into the 5l bottle which contains 1l this makes 4l

Great film lol

I obviously misread, but add another 3l to get 4. Or do they only have so much water to begin with?

There are various ways but here's one:

1. Fill the 3l bottle
2. Pour it into 5l bottle
3. Fill the 3l bottle
4. Pour it into remaining space in 5l bottle so that 1l remains in 3l bottle
5. Empty the 5l bottle and pour in the 1l from the 3l bottle
6. Fill the 3l bottle again and add it to the 1l in the 5l bottle

Aha, I understand it now - thank you so much!!

This is why we need Mumsnet!

1. Fill 5l bottle.
2. Pour water from 5l bottle into 3l bottle until 3l bottle is full. This gives you 2l left in the 5l bottle.

3.Empty 3l bottle and pour in the remaining 2l from the 5l bottle. This means there is exactly 1l of space remaining in the 3l bottle.

1. Fill 5l bottle again. Pour water from 5l bottle to 3l bottle until 3l bottle is full. Since you know there was exactly 1l of capacity in the 3l bottle, by filling it you know you've taken 1l out of the 5l bottle. That leaves you 4l.

We have to work it out again every time we watch it, always forget in the gaps between viewings. Then DP spends the next week going round saying 'Said Simple Simon to the pieman' in Jeremy Irons' voice and I have to remind myself I'd regret it if I killed him.