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August 25, 2006
Still Way Too Busy
You have 9 golf balls. 8 of which are equal in weight.
The ninth is slightly heavier then the rest.
You also have a balancing scale.
Can you use this scale two times and only two times in order to tell which ball is heavier?
C'mon...I know you can.
Posted by Yabu at August 25, 2006 11:45 PM | The Present
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G says:
Weigh 2 groups of three, if they're even, weigh two of the other three to find out which one it is exactly. If the first 2 groups of three were not equal, you would know which side was heavier and you weigh two of the three balls from the heavier side to tell you which of those three balls was heaviest. Either way, you're only weighing twice!
Posted by: Lisa W. at August 26, 2006 06:52 AM
Two trains are going in opposite directions at two different speeds. If X is positive, they will intersect at negative Y. How much would you pay for a ticket?
Posted by: Libby at August 28, 2006 05:49 PM
I say divide the balls into three sets with three balls each.
Put one set on one side of the scale and the other set on the other side. If the scales balance, you know the odd ball is not in either set. If the scales dip to one side, you've found your odd ball.
If the scales balance then place one of the remaining three balls on one side of the scales, and one other ball from that last set on the other side of the scales. If they balance, you know the only ball you didn't use is the heaviest. If the scales dip, you've found your ball.
Church.
Otherwise put the last set place one of the remaining 3 balls on the left and one on the right. If they are equal, then it is the ball that was left out that is heavier. If either side is heavier, then that is the heavier ball.
Posted by: Jeff at August 28, 2006 11:02 PM
I lost you right there when you said, "You have nine balls" -- maybe we're talking about the U.S. cycling team.
Posted by: Bob at August 29, 2006 03:56 PM
Wow! It's the Twilight Zone!
Posted by: Dash at August 29, 2006 03:58 PM
From what I've read, what I've seen tells me that you can identify the "group" that contains the ball that weighs more, but not the actual ball itself. I'm still thinkin' on it... If I don't pass out from boredom, and figure it out, I'll lay it out here...
Posted by: RedNeck at August 29, 2006 08:05 PM
I take that back...I think Lisa W pegged the method...
Posted by: RedNeck at August 29, 2006 08:06 PM
Yikes. How can you tell if the answer is right? I find the answer as incomprehensible as the question. I really suck at math.
Posted by: Libby at August 30, 2006 04:55 PM
I'd throw all nine golf balls, one at a time, at roughly eighty three miles per hour each into the left testicle of the dickhead who asked me such a question until the sadistic sumbitch answered MY question....
"Where's the fuckin' FAT BALL asshole!!"
Screw a bunch of scales and......MATH can just kiss my ass!!
Geez...you wander around the blogsphere lookin' for a little light entertainment and suddenly, you're in high school again...takin' the fuckin' S.A.T.'s!!!
ASSHOLE!!
Ok....sorry....I'm better now.
Posted by: Rantin' Ron at August 30, 2006 11:59 PM
