Library of Congress
You have a collection of nine coins. Out of these nine coins, eight are identical in weight, and one is slightly heavier. However, you don't know which coin is the heavier one, and you don't have a scale to weigh the coins. You can use a balance scale only twice to find the heavier coin. How can you determine which coin is heavier using the balance scale only two times?
Answer will be posted Monday in the comments section.
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Here is the answer:
To determine which coin is heavier using the balance scale only two times, you can follow these steps:
Divide the nine coins into three groups of three coins each: Group A, Group B, and Group C.
Weigh Group A against Group B using the balance scale:
If Group A and Group B balance each other, then the heavier coin is in Group C.
If Group A and Group B do not balance each other, then the heavier coin is in the group that tilts the scale down.
Take the group of three coins that contains the heavier coin from Step 2 (let's say it's Group A) and set aside the other two groups (B and C).
Now, take two coins from Group A and place one coin on each side of the balance scale:
If the scale balances, the remaining coin in Group A is the heavier one.
If the scale tilts down on one side, the heavier coin is on that side of the scale.
By following these steps, you can identify the heavier coin using the balance scale only two times.
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