The Grocer’s Problem

Exercise: The Grocer’s Problem

Imagine that you work for Pat, who owns a small grocery store in the middle of the city, with a sidewalk running along its front.

Statutory Text

Pat, the owner, does not work at the store but has posted a general rule in the store office:

When fresh fruits or vegetables arrive, place them in the window display case if they would tend to attract “impulse shoppers” into the store (people who were not already planning to shop here). Otherwise, place the fruits or vegetables in the interior of the store. This way, we can increase the number of customers who enter our store, who make purchases, and who may become regular customers.

This is sort of like a statute, created by Pat acting as the legislature.

Two Applications of Pat’s RuleWhen the store manager, Kim, received a crate of washed, shiny, red apples, he placed them in the window display case.

When a crate of unwashed carrots arrived, Kim placed them in the interior of the store.

New Case: Red Bell Peppers

Kim is away for the afternoon, and a crate of these shiny, washed red bell peppers arrives. Where should you put them?

Are the bell peppers more like the carrots or the apples? In what way?