Homework
You are adrift on a private yacht in the South Pacific. As a consequence of a fire of unknown origin, much of the yacht and its contents have been destroyed. The yacht is now slowly sinking. Your location is unclear because of the destruction of critical navigational equipment and because you and the crew were distracted trying to bring the fire under control. Your best estimate is that you are approximately one thousand miles south-southwest of the nearest land.
Following is a list of fifteen items that are intact and undamaged after the fire. In addition to these articles, you have a serviceable, rubber life raft with oars. The raft is large enough to carry yourself, the crew, and all the items in the following list. The total contents of all survivors’ pockets are a package of cigarettes, several books of matches, and five one-dollar bills.
Your task is to rank the fifteen items that follow in terms of their importance to your survival. Place the number 1 by the most important item, the number 2 by the second most important, and so on through number 15, the least important.

Sextant
Shaving mirror
Five-gallon can of water
Mosquito netting
One case of U.S. Army C rations
Maps of the Pacific Ocean
Seat cushion (flotation device approved by the Coast Guard)
Two-gallon can of oil-gas mixture
Small transistor radio
Shark repellent
Twenty square feet of opaque plastic
One quart of 160-proof Puerto Rican rum
Fifteen feet of nylon rope
Two boxes of chocolate bars
Fishing kit