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#1 2005-03-10 02:18:47

anthony
Guest

Mistake on the apple farm

We have struggled to find a simple answer, is there one? Help !

#2 2005-03-10 10:13:43

MathsIsFun
Administrator
Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,713

Re: Mistake on the apple farm

It could work something like this:

Number Each Basket from 1 to 10.

Select 1 Apple from basket 1
Select 2 Apples from basket 2
etc..

You will now have (1+2+...+10) = 55 Apples

If they all weighed 4 oz, then the scales would show 55x4=220 oz.

But if the weight was, say, 225 oz, then you would know that there 5 apples that weigh an extra ounce, so the basket with the heavier apples must be basket 5.


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#3 2005-03-10 23:59:56

asayer
Member
Registered: 2005-03-10
Posts: 1

Re: Mistake on the apple farm

Thank you
This has saved my bacon
Anthony

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