580 Fair Division of Indivisibles

Items are NOT divisible now! Goal: Fair and efficient allocation Model $A$: set of $n$ agents $M$: set of $m$ indivisible goods Each agent $i$ has Valuation function: $V_i: 2^m \to R_+$ over subsets of items. This function is monotone, i.e. the more the happier. Allocation $X = (X_1, \ldots, X_n)$ is the allocation of goods to agents, where they form a partition of $M$. Fairness In the indivisible setting, we envy-free and proportional properties is hard to achieve in the divisible setting. We need new definitions. ...

December 6, 2025

580 Fair Division of Divisibles via Competitive Equilibrium

Divisibles means that the item can be divided to any sizes. A cake is an example. Goal: Fair and efficient allocation Model $A$: set of $n$ agents $M$: set of $m$ divisible goods Each agent $i$ has Valuation function: $V_i: R_+^m \to R_+$ over bundles of items. (doesn’t have to be linear) Concave: Captures decreasing marginal returns (looks like $\sqrt{x}$ curve) Allocation $X = (X_1, \ldots, X_n)$ is the allocation of goods to all agents, $X_{ij}$ is the allocation of good $j$ to agent $i$. Fair (agreeable) Envy-free: no agent envies other’s allocation over her own For each agent $i$, $V_i(X_i) \geq V_i(X_j), \forall j \in [n]$. Proportional: Each agent $i$ gets value at least $V_i(M) / n$ $\equiv$ for each agent $i$, $V_i(X_i) \geq V_i(M)/n$. Efficient(non-wasteful) Pareto-optimal: no other allocation is better for all. ...

December 6, 2025