The Traveling Spoonful
brainteaser
Two glasses sit on a table. One contains only water, and the other contains only wine. A full spoonful is taken from the wine glass, poured into the water glass, and stirred until the liquids are evenly mixed. Next, using the same spoon, a full spoonful of the water-and-wine mixture is transferred back into the wine glass. Assume that every spoonful has exactly the same volume and that nothing is spilled.
After both transfers, which is greater: the amount of wine left in the water glass, or the amount of water carried into the wine glass?
Hints
Hint 1
Hint 2
Hint 3
Solution
Commit an attempt to unseal the proof. Write your answer — right or wrong, thinking it through is the point.
Which contamination is greater after the two transfers?
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