Try out the ODDBALL logic test?

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i love your example. :p a fat kid lol. that's funny.

i consider a pan scale a see saw.

i dunno what your last sentence means. you have three weighings how do you get more?
 
In some attempts people had alternatives (Non working ones I might add),

In instance if you weigh 5 and 5 and create an if statement.

If they are equal then somewhere in the other two is the odd one out, swap 1 of the 5 with one of the 2 and weigh it, If it's heavier/lighter then you've found the outcome, if not weigh the otherone.

If when weighing 5:5 is unequal.... etc.

You end up equating multiple IF's that equal a greater number of weighings.
 
Alan McDougall said:
Yes you should label all the balls (Chalk) to keep track on them during this test of logic. You must start with 4 balls in both pans of the weighing scale. If they do not balance you already know something vital towards solving the puzzle

The upper end pan might contain the lighter ball, or the upper or the lower pan might have contain a heavier ball. So label all the balls in the lower pan HB= (Heavy or Balanced) Then mark the balls in the upper pan LB=(light or balanced)

If the don't balance the odd ball is amongst the 4 balls put aside leading to an easy solution if this happens. But you must work through all possibilities and must not let luck be a part of your solution :):cool:
Click to expand...

I think you realized that it is impossible without marking the balls because the op clearly states the ball are IDENTICAL (except for weight). Also, how do write in steel balls with chalk? Unless the stell is rusted i dont think you can.

How much of a weight difference are we talking about?

I would bet that anyone contemplating this test is thinking of the shiny steel balls. I would like to see you write on those with chalk.

http://bit.ly/96mxL2
 
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John99 said:
Also, how do write in steel balls with chalk? Unless the stell is rusted i dont think you can.
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Wrong. It's not particularly easy, but it's possible. Oh, and the wording would be write on steel balls. Not "in".
But then again, anyone in their right mind would use engineer's blue rather than chalk.

How much of a weight difference are we talking about?
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It's irrelevant.

And you seem to be conflating "labelling" with physically writing on the balls. That's not necessary.
 
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Technically to put John99's mind at rest, you wouldn't even need to write on the balls. You are merely attempting to mark the positions, so you could mark it on a sheet of paper and just keep the balls in a specific order.
 
Hence my last sentence in the post above yours. ;)
A "mental label" would suffice.
 
Stryder said:
In some attempts people had alternatives (Non working ones I might add),

In instance if you weigh 5 and 5 and create an if statement.

If they are equal then somewhere in the other two is the odd one out, swap 1 of the 5 with one of the 2 and weigh it, If it's heavier/lighter then you've found the outcome, if not weigh the otherone.

If when weighing 5:5 is unequal.... etc.

You end up equating multiple IF's that equal a greater number of weighings.
Click to expand...

you need to get lucky on one of the two left off the scale. Thus game of chance and not logic. Alan even claims:

You must start with 4 balls in both pans of the weighing scale. If they do not balance you already know something vital towards solving the puzzle
Click to expand...

12 balls and 3 weighings. The best way is to weigh 6 and six to weigh less is diminishing.
 
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Stryder said:
Technically to put John99's mind at rest, you wouldn't even need to write on the balls. You are merely attempting to mark the positions, so you could mark it on a sheet of paper and just keep the balls in a specific order.
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Not feasible.

In light of this ex post facto change where the balls CAN be marked i would issue a new ball type.

I would say that the OP should contain already marked pool balls.

http://bit.ly/bn8nMZ

I doubt you can visualize the placement of the balls in a weighing scale though due to the order of the balls being out of line and circular. The reason is on ball will find the center and the other balls will congregate in a circular fashion to the center ball. this is very difficult achievement to do by eye. Good luck with that.
 
Also the reason i asked if the difference was small or large is becuase the chalk dust can throw off the ball weight.
 
Stawman.
It doesn't matter about differentiating between balls on the same pan of the scales.
And Stryder's point was entirely valid.
You're missing the point completely.
 
No. Regardless.
You start off with a group and check for weight variation of the group.
And use successive steps to narrow that group down to one individual ball.
They do not need to be differentiated at all while ON the pan.
 
Dywyddyr said:
No. Regardless.
You start off with a group and check for weight variation of the group.
And use successive steps to narrow that group down to one individual ball.
They do not need to be differentiated at all while ON the pan.
Click to expand...

You have 3 chances to weigh 12 balls. Have you forgotten that?
 
John99 said:
You have 3 chances to weigh 12 balls. Have you forgotten that?
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Not at all.
That's why it's a logic problem.
Reducing the steps to a maximum of 3 and at the same time ascertain the correct ball (and variance). :rolleyes:
 
To stryder: I wasnt being facetious with the images of the balls because i needed to illustrate that not all balls are red. (Billiard) In cas you never seen non billiard pool balls.
 
John99 said:
you need to get lucky on one of the two left off the scale. Thus game of chance and not logic. Alan even claims:
Click to expand...

John99, you know full well that this wasn't the actual solution, this was for explaining how you could end up with multiple weighings in attempting a solution.
 
Maika said:
i consider a pan scale a see saw.
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Consider the old nursery rhyme:

See, saw, Marjorie Daw,
Jennie shall have a new master.
She shall have but a penny a day,
because she can't work any faster.

Note that it never reads:

Pan Scale, Marjorie Daw,
Jennie shall have a new master.
She shall have but a penny a day,
because she can't work any faster.



As regards writing on the balls.
All you have to do is use the same amount of ink each time for each number.
When you wrote 12, it would need to be in smaller writing than when you wrote 1.
If you hadn't used enough ink, you could just scribble on the ball.
 
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John99 said:
I think you realized that it is impossible without marking the balls because the op clearly states the ball are IDENTICAL (except for weight). Also, how do write in steel balls with chalk? Unless the stell is rusted i dont think you can.

How much of a weight difference are we talking about?

I would bet that anyone contemplating this test is thinking of the shiny steel balls. I would like to see you write on those with chalk.

http://bit.ly/96mxL2
Click to expand...

Miniscule

You don't need to write in the balls try just using a little coureled dot
 
you guys are making this too complex. i want those balls so i can try it out.

and why can't you just put the balls in different places, you don't need to mark them.

chill and have a drink. :p
 
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