Method for operating a hob, wherein the hob has a plurality of induction heating coils (15, HE) arranged adjacent and one behind the other in a heating zone, having the steps of: - for a first cooking vessel, a first nominal power value has been or is specified, with which the first cooking vessel is to be heated by way of at least one of the induction heating coils (15, HE10 to HE13) which is covered by the first cooking vessel, such that the first nominal power value is to apply for the induction heating coils (15, HE10 to HE13) covered by the first cooking vessel, - for a second cooking vessel, a second nominal power value has been or is specified, with which the second cooking vessel is to be heated by way of at least one of the induction heating coils (15, HE12, HE21) which is covered by the second cooking vessel, such that the second nominal power value is to apply for the induction heating coils (15, HE12, HE21) covered by the second cooking vessel, - checking whether the first cooking vessel and the second cooking vessel are jointly covering an induction heating coil (15, HE12) at least in part, - on the basis of a nominal power value for a cooking vessel (T1, T2), a nominal power for an induction heating coil (15, HE10 to HE23, HE21) covered by the cooking vessel (T1, T2) is calculated and, on the basis of an actual power value for a cooking vessel (T1, T2), an actual power for an induction heating coil (15, HE10 to HE23, HE21) covered by the cooking vessel (T1, T2) is calculated, - in the event that the first cooking vessel and the second cooking vessel are jointly covering a common induction heating coil (15, HE12) and the first nominal power value and the second nominal power value differ, the extent of the first relative coverage of this common induction heating coil (15, HE12) by the first cooking vessel and the extent of the second relative coverage of this common induction heating coil (15, HE12) by the second cooking vessel are checked, wherein, as a function of these two relative coverages, an actual power of the common induction heating coil (15, HE12) for the actual operation thereof is determined corresponding to an actual power value which is lower than the higher of the two nominal power values, such that at least one of the two cooking vessels (T1, T2) is heated by the common induction heating coil (15, HE12) with a nominal power value other than that specified for this cooking vessel (T1, T2), characterized in that a small relative coverage of the common induction heating coil (15, HE12) by the cooking vessel with the lower nominal power value leads to a greater increase in the actual power of the common induction heating coil (15, HE12) above the corresponding lower nominal power value than does a large relative coverage of the common induction heating coil (15, HE) by the cooking vessel with the lower nominal power value. - for a first cooking vessel, a first nominal power value has been or is specified, with which the first cooking vessel is to be heated by way of at least one of the induction heating coils (15, HE10 to HE13) which is covered by the first cooking vessel, such that the first nominal power value is to apply for the induction heating coils (15, HE10 to HE13) covered by the first cooking vessel, - for a second cooking vessel, a second nominal power value has been or is specified, with which the second cooking vessel is to be heated by way of at least one of the induction heating coils (15, HE12, HE21) which is covered by the second cooking vessel, such that the second nominal power value is to apply for the induction heating coils (15, HE12, HE21) covered by the second cooking vessel, - checking whether the first cooking vessel and the second cooking vessel are jointly covering an induction heating coil (15, HE12) at least in part, - on the basis of a nominal power value for a cooking vessel (T1, T2), a nominal power for an induction heating coil (15, HE10 to HE23, HE21) covered by the cooking vessel (T1, T2) is calculated and, on the basis of an actual power value for a cooking vessel (T1, T2), an actual power for an induction heating coil (15, HE10 to HE23, HE21) covered by the cooking vessel (T1, T2) is calculated, - in the event that the first cooking vessel and the second cooking vessel are jointly covering a common induction heating coil (15, HE12) and the first nominal power value and the second nominal power value differ, the extent of the first relative coverage of this common induction heating coil (15, HE12) by the first cooking vessel and the extent of the second relative coverage of this common induction heating coil (15, HE12) by the second cooking vessel are checked, wherein, as a function of these two relative coverages, an actual power of the common induction heating coil (15, HE12) for the actual operation thereof is determined corresponding to an actual power value which is lower than the higher of the two nominal power values, such that at least one of the two cooking vessels (T1, T2) is heated by the common induction heating coil (15, HE12) with a nominal power value other than that specified for this cooking vessel (T1, T2), characterized in that a small relative coverage of the common induction heating coil (15, HE12) by the cooking vessel with the lower nominal power value leads to a greater increase in the actual power of the common induction heating coil (15, HE12) above the corresponding lower nominal power value than does a large relative coverage of the common induction heating coil (15, HE) by the cooking vessel with the lower nominal power value.