The Taub Faculty of Computer Science Events and Talks

A geometer, an economist and a Ph.D. student are asked to divide a land-estate fairly among several people. The geometer partitions the land to nicely-shaped parcels - equal-size squares. But the people are unhappy, because squares in different locations have different values (a square near the sea is not like a square in the desert!). The economist partitions the land to parcels with the same economic value, but the people are again unhappy because the plots are all long and narrow rectangles, 9 kilometers on 10 centimeters. They have the same value but they cannot be used in practice. The Ph.D. student (that is me) suggests a division algorithm which takes into account both geometric shape and economic value: it is both Fair and Square.

Joint work with Prof. Yonatan Aumann and Dr. Avinatan Hassidim.