You have 8 identical straws, that all weigh the same except for one straw that weighs a gram less than the others. It is not possible to know which one weighs less just by holding on to them. By using a balance scale only twice, how do you figure out which straw is the one that weighs less than the others?
2007-01-05 10:19:29 · 12 answers · asked by nyicecreamking 2 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Jokes & Riddles
You place three straws on each side of the scale. If they balance, you weigh the other two to find out the light one.
If they do not balance, take the three straws on the light side, and weigh two of them against each other. If they balance, the third straw is the light one, and if they do not, it will show up as the light one of the two you are weighing.
2007-01-05 10:28:02 · answer #1 · answered by geo1944 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Im going to say at some point youre going to have to make a 50/50 guess between two staws. but theres probably something im missing.
Put 4 on each side which ever side raises take those and put two on each side which ever side raises make a 50/50 guess between the two.
I hope you know the answers to this because it sounds like a good one.
EDIT: I did not even think about putting 3 on each side leaving 2 off. Excellent riddle/math question.
P.S. lil Mb below is a moron.
2007-01-05 10:23:17 · answer #2 · answered by crymsyneyes 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
weigh 3 on one side 3 on the other, leave two off. Find which pile contains the odd straw. If it is in the pile of two straws then you weigh each straw to discover the odd straw. If it is in one of the piles of 3. then weigh 1 straw on each side. leave one straw off to discover the odd straw.
2007-01-05 10:57:04 · answer #3 · answered by K G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Weigh 3 each on each side, putting two aside.
If the scale balances, the lite one is in the two set aside, and a weighing of them will tell you which on
If the scale tips, take the 3 from the side that goes up (lite side), and then weigh one each on each side and set one aside.. if the scale balances, the lite one is the one set aside. If it tips, it is the one that goes up.
2007-01-05 10:28:06 · answer #4 · answered by scrubbag 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well,this is a very good and hard to guess joke. But i will try to guess. Maby if you lay one straw at a time on the scale you will find out.
2007-01-05 10:27:19 · answer #5 · answered by Brooklyn 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you asking because you don't know, or because you want to see who does know?...
anyway.. I have no idea.... I have a riddle.. kind of...
You have three soda machines at school, during the night someone switched the labels. You have an unlimited amount of quarters and each drink costs a quarter. What is the least amount of coins you can use to switch the labels back?.. there are two ways to answer...
2007-01-05 10:24:35 · answer #6 · answered by 1246 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
4 on 1 side and 4 on the other side and the side that go down is the one with the lesser straw and that is how mb answerd ur question
2007-01-05 10:29:18 · answer #7 · answered by lil mb 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
if i answered i'd just be repeating the guy who said to weigh 3 on each side first.... then he explains the rest
2007-01-05 10:39:56 · answer #8 · answered by talofa lava 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A rhombus? I'd call it a parallelogram, but that's a vague term.
2016-03-29 09:31:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do YOU know the answer?
2007-01-05 10:22:29 · answer #10 · answered by 143 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋