ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Allotment system

Okay, so you know how sometimes you go to a candy store and you get to pick out a certain number of candies? Well, the allotment system is kind of like that, but instead of getting candy, people are given a certain amount of something else.

Let's say there are 10 kids who want to play with a toy, but there's only one toy. That means they have to share, right? But, because sharing can sometimes be hard, they might need someone to help them figure out how to make it fair.

That's where the allotment system comes in. The person in charge (like a teacher or parent) would decide that each kid gets a turn to play with the toy for a certain amount of time. Maybe the first kid gets to play with it for 5 minutes, then they have to give it to the next kid who gets 5 minutes, and so on until everyone has had a turn.

That way, each kid gets to play with the toy for a fair amount of time and nobody feels left out or like they didn't get a fair chance. The allotment system is used in all kinds of situations, from sharing toys to handing out resources like food or money to people who need it.