Two people are stuck on a desert island and a metal box washes up on the beach, they open it and it contains a cake.

How do they divide the cake fairly between themselves given that each person wants as much of the cake as possible and they don't want to end up having a fight

ps.They do have knives and stuff.

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I'd say that they cut it down the middle. If you want a more complicated way of garnering information about the best method of cutting the cake down the middle... I recommend using the box itself as a measure before even taking it out. Find what's the "middle" of each side, and then using a ruler-like object (such as, say, a straighter back-edge of a knife) to make sure the line cut down is even.

Alternatively, one stabs the other in the back and takes the cake. He avoids an actual fight, and gets the cake.

One's the cynic, one's the engineer. Alternatively, one's the diplomat, the other's the engineer.

but the answer I have would mean that both people get to survive and that neither can complain about having the smaller piece.

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Then cut down the middle it is...

#1) Look, a cake is inside that box!
#2) Wow *pulls out cake*
#1) Hey look, there is a tub of icing in the box as well

*#2 looks*

*#1 grabs the cake and runs away to eat it*

Can't complain about having the smaller piece if you didn't have a piece at all.

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One person cuts the cake, while the other gets to choose which piece to take.

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Everything I need to know I learned through Googling.

Can we assume the cake is a perfect sphere?

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N6MAA10816
Faber '62 ΔTX
Are you a Bright?

AH! Why didn't I think of that!? Oh, right, I am an only child.

I remember when I was little, my friends that had siblings mothers would do that to make it fair.

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Standard proceedure in dueling.

Cake at ten paces.

-- Jeff, in Minneapolis

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http://www.FreeMars.org/jeff/

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If the cake is square or rectangular, slice it diagonally. If round, agree on midpoint and let each slice out to edge while sitting opposite. (one person will always get less due to crumbs. )

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" The universe is running away
I heard it on the news just the other day
There's this new stuff called dark energy
We can't measure and we can't see..." - from Jimmy Buffett's What if the hokey pokey is all it really is about?

Yeah, and my sister would always get me to cut it and take the bigger piece because she knew I wasn't coordinated enough to divide it evenly with one cut. Multiple cuts were out as that counts as "ruining it" or "playing with your food" both of which are mortal sins.

It interesting how children can be playing happily, then someone gives them something nice to share and it often results in both children experencing misery. Seems similar to a lot of adult behaviour.

This is one of those simple problems that requires a ridiculous complicated solution, isn't it? :P These "Guessing games" are always so funny.

ToSeeks answer was the one i had. maybe there are others.

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OK, now divide a cake among three people.

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Keeper of the Jabberwock

for three people-make one cut then the next person who makes a cut is the last person to choose the piece, the next person is second to last to choose the piece of cake and the remaining person is the first person to choose their piece of cake.

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