Method of Markers Practice
1. Three players (A, B, and C) agree to divide 12 items shown by lining them up in order and using method of
markers. The players’ bids are as indicated.
a) Describe the allocation of items to each player
b) Which items are left over?
Example: Four players (A, B, C, and D) agree to divide the 15 items shown below by lining them up in order
and using the method of markers. The player’s bids are as indicated.
1
2
3
C1
4
B1
5
D1
6
B2
7
C2
8
D2
9
A1
Tell whether each item below goes to A, B, C, D, or is left over.
1. item 3
2. item 5
3. item 7
4. item 10
5. item 13
6. item 15
1
0
A2
1
1
B3
1
2
1
3
D3
1
4
A3
1
5
C3
Five friends have shared ownership of a used car business since they finished business school
and pooled their resources to rent a lot and buy some cars. They each chipped in equal
amounts, and feel that they are entitled to equal shares of the current business. However, the
friends have decided that they do not wish to continue their partnership, and each wants to
start his or her own used car business. They decide to use the method of markers to divide up
the cars and some other equipment that they have purchased jointly, and have arranged an
array of 20 items as shown below. They have placed their markers as follows:
A: immediately to the right of items 4, 9, 13 and 17.
B: immediately to the right of items 5, 11, 14 and 17.
C: immediately to the right of items 3, 8, 12 and 15.
D: immediately to the right of items 4, 10, 14 and 16.
E: immediately to the right of items 5, 8, 10 and 14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
1)
Describe the allocation of items to each partner. Who gets which items?
2)
Which items are left over?