Let me try to explain the situation the best I can.

Lets say I have 3 values

1, 2, 3

I tell an algorithm to split this values into x columns. Lets say x = 2 for clarification.

The algorithm determines that the group of values is best put into two columns the following way.

1st column    2nd column
---------------------------
1             3
2

Each column has an even number (totals, not literals) value.

Now lets say I have the following values

7, 8, 3, 1, 4

I tell the algorithm that I want the values split into 3 columns. The algorithm now tells me that the following is the best fit.

1st column    2nd column    3rd column
8             7             3
              1             4

Notice how the columns arent quiet even, but it is as close as it can get. A little over and a little under is considered ok, as long as the list is AS CLOSE TO EVEN AS IT CAN BE.

Anybody got any suggestions? Know any good methods of doing this?