Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The ball thing

I got two votes for being able to do it in three uses of the scale. I can do it in two... Keep thinking.

Spoiler Alert!! The Woulfes have correctly answered the question. If you want to figure it out on your own, don't read the comments!

3 comments:

The Woulfes said...

I like these sort of puzzlers.

Weigh six of the balls, three on each side. If they're the same, weigh the remaining two to find which is heavier. If the original ones were different, weigh 1 vs. 1 of the heavier set. If they're the same, the 3rd is the heavier ball.

Emily A. said...

What? Use my brain? Not tonight, but I did vote. Yay!

Colin Madland said...

Without looking @ The Woulfes'...

Choose any 6 balls and compare their masses with three on each side.

If the balance maintains equilibrium, then it is one of the two remaining balls and you can compare them.

If the balance shows a discrepancy, choose any two from the heavier side and compare. If they are equal, then the last ball is heavier, if not the answer is obvious.

I voted too, but our election was held 6 weeks after the writ was dropped, and our ballot was four choices and one simple 'X' with a pencil. I like Canada.