Math Is Fun Forum

anthony

Guest

Mistake on the apple farm

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

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.

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

asayer

Member

Registered: 2005-03-10

Posts: 1

Re: Mistake on the apple farm

Thank you
This has saved my bacon
Anthony