A farmer needs to transport a wolf, goat, and cabbage across a river using a boat that can only carry two items at a time. The wolf cannot be left with the goat, as it will eat it, and the goat cannot be left with the cabbage, as it will eat it. The document outlines the start state, safe states where moves are valid, how to make moves between states, and defines the terminal or goal state as having all items on the opposite side of the river in seven moves.