Measuring with Jugs: A Solution in Finite Domain

The “measuring with jugs problem” involves pouring water between jugs to measure out a specific quantity of water. The object is to find the proper sequence of fill operations, pour operations (from one jug to another) and emptying operations to arrive at the desired quantity of water which may be in either jug. In the past, solutions to this puzzle have always involved creating a series of operations by computing various possible paths and choosing the one that leads to a solution. This paper takes a different, novel route to the solution to this. An answer is found numerically using constraint programming and the results are then translated into a path. At first, a simplified version of this puzzle using only two jugs will be discussed. A mathematical solution to this problem will be presented and the solution will then be translated into code in the Mozart-Oz programming language.