All about flooble | fun stuff | Get a free chatterbox | Free JavaScript | Avatars    
perplexus dot info

Home > Logic > Weights and Scales
6 coins (Posted on 2016-01-13) Difficulty: 3 of 5
There are 6 coins weighing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 grams that look the same, except for their labels. The labels are supposed to display the weights of the coins.

How can you determine whether all the labels are correct,
using the balance scale only twice?

See The Solution Submitted by Ady TZIDON    
Rating: 4.2500 (4 votes)

Comments: ( Back to comment list | You must be logged in to post comments.)
Some Thoughts computer attempt | Comment 4 of 10 |
First off, we recognize that any weighing result that differs from what would be expected based on true markings would be enough to declare there's a mislabeling somewhere, and so if this were the first weighing, the second need not take place.

That being the case, determination of what to weigh in the second weighing can't be determined by the result of the first, as the second weighing doesn't take place if the expected result of the first weighing does not happen.

Next, determine what ways there are for a given pan to weigh a given amount. The total pan weight is shown on the left below, with the right hand column showing ways of getting that pan total, with each digit representing a coin assuming proper label:

  1  1

  2  2

  3  3
  3  12

  4  4
  4  13

  5  5
  5  23
  5  14

  6  6
  6  24
  6  15
  6  123

  7  34
  7  25
  7  16
  7  124

  8  35
  8  26
  8  134
  8  125

  9  45
  9  36
  9  234
  9  135
  9  126

 10  46
 10  235
 10  145
 10  136
 10  1234

 11  56
 11  245
 11  236
 11  146
 11  1235

 12  345
 12  246
 12  156
 12  1245
 12  1236

 13  346
 13  256
 13  1345
 13  1246

 14  356
 14  2345
 14  1346
 14  1256

 15  456
 15  2346
 15  1356
 15  12345

 16  2356
 16  1456
 16  12346

 17  2456
 17  12356

 18  3456
 18  12456

 19  13456

 20  23456

 21  123456
 
Then I made the assumption that the expected weighings should be expected to result in equalities, as inequalities would lead to too much ambiguity as to how given results were achieved.

The program looked through all possible pairs of expected-equality weighings, to see one where only one permutation (123456) of the weights, out of the 6!=720, of the labels in order would satisfy both equalities. However, none of the ways of selecting the pair of weighings satisfied this. At a minimum, 2 of the permutations fit, as summarized below.

The way to understand the entries below is exemplified by the first one:

2 3 12 46 235
123456
123654

The first line states that there are 2 permutations of the weights with the respective labels that would satisfy the sets of weighings where the first weighing was 3 vs 1 and 2, and the second weighting was 4 and 6 vs 2, 3 and 5.

The next line shows that, of course, if the labels are correct, then you'd get equality in both weighing.  But the next line after that shows the other permutation that would have the same two results: the 4 and the 6 weights have their labels interchanged.

The remaining sets are interpreted similarly.

2 3 12 46 235
123456
123654

2 5 14 6 123
123456
132456

2 23 14 6 123
123456
132456

2 5 23 26 134
123456
423156

2 5 14 46 235
123456
132456

2 6 123 26 134
123456
321456

2 6 123 46 235
123456
132456

2 26 134 45 126
123456
163452

I then thought perhaps my thinking that there always must be equality in the expected results.  Allowing expected inequality would make exhaustive analysis more difficult, so I haven't done it, but starting with an obvious one, 1, 2, 3 and 4 vs 5 and 6, would cover a lot of territory as that would be the only case where two coins would be expected to be heavier than four.  But what would you do next if the set passes this test? The 5 and 6 labels could be interchanged, or there could be a mixup within the 1, 2, 3, 4 set.  Trying to mix these, such as making the second weighing 5 vs 2 and 3 or 6 vs 1, 2 and 3 would still allow, in the case of passing via equality, mismatches within or outside the sets of lower expected weights involved.

Even if the second weighing were to expect inequality, such as 6 vs 4 and 1, and it passed, that would still leave open the possibility that 2 and 3 had their labels interchanged.


DefDbl A-Z
Dim crlf$, combs(21, 10) As String, ncombs(21), how$(720)

Private Sub Form_Load()
 Form1.Visible = True
 
 Text1.Text = ""
 crlf = Chr$(13) + Chr$(10)
 
 For n1 = 0 To 1
 For n2 = 0 To 1
 For n3 = 0 To 1
 For n4 = 0 To 1
 For n5 = 0 To 1
 For n6 = 0 To 1
   tot = n1 + 2 * n2 + 3 * n3 + 4 * n4 + 5 * n5 + 6 * n6
   cm$ = ""
   If n1 Then cm = cm + "1"
   If n2 Then cm = cm + "2"
   If n3 Then cm = cm + "3"
   If n4 Then cm = cm + "4"
   If n5 Then cm = cm + "5"
   If n6 Then cm = cm + "6"
   ncombs(tot) = ncombs(tot) + 1
   combs(tot, ncombs(tot)) = cm
 Next
 Next
 Next
 Next
 Next
 Next
 
 For tot = 1 To 21
   For i = 1 To ncombs(tot)
      Text1.Text = Text1.Text & mform(tot, "##0") & "  " & combs(tot, i) & crlf
   Next
   Text1.Text = Text1.Text & crlf
 Next
 
 
 minways = 9999
 
 For t1 = 3 To 15
 For t2 = t1 To 15
   For w11 = 1 To ncombs(t1) - 1
   For w12 = w11 + 1 To ncombs(t1)
     lhs1$ = combs(t1, w11)
     rhs1$ = combs(t1, w12)
     If nodup(lhs1, rhs1) Then
     
   For w21 = 1 To ncombs(t2) - 1
   For w22 = w21 + 1 To ncombs(t2)
     lhs2$ = combs(t2, w21)
     rhs2$ = combs(t2, w22)
     If nodup(lhs2, rhs2) Then
       If ways(lhs1, rhs1, lhs2, rhs2) <= minways Then
          minways = ways(lhs1, rhs1, lhs2, rhs2)
         Text1.Text = Text1.Text & minways & " " & lhs1 & " " & rhs1 & " " & lhs2 & " " & rhs2 & crlf
         If minways < 10 Then
          For j = 1 To minways
            Text1.Text = Text1.Text & how(j) & crlf
          Next
          Text1.Text = Text1.Text & crlf
         End If
       End If
       If ways(lhs1, rhs1, lhs2, rhs2) = 1 Then
         Text1.Text = Text1.Text & lhs1 & " " & rhs1 & " " & lhs2 & " " & rhs2 & crlf
         
       End If
     End If
   Next
   Next
     
     End If
   Next
   Next
 Next
 Next
 
 Text1.Text = Text1.Text & crlf & minways & " done"
 
 
 
 
  
End Sub




Function mform$(x, t$)
  a$ = Format$(x, t$)
  If Len(a$) < Len(t$) Then a$ = Space$(Len(t$) - Len(a$)) & a$
  mform$ = a$
End Function

Function nodup(a$, b$)
  good = 1
  For i = 1 To Len(b$)
    If InStr(a$, Mid(b$, i, 1)) Then good = 0: Exit For
  Next
  nodup = good
End Function

Function ways(a$, b$, c$, d$)
 w = 0
 coins$ = "123456": h$ = coins
 Do
  DoEvents
  lhst1 = 0
  For i = 1 To Len(a)
   lhst1 = lhst1 + Val(Mid(coins, Val(Mid(a, i, 1)), 1))
  Next
  rhst1 = 0
  For i = 1 To Len(b)
   rhst1 = rhst1 + Val(Mid(coins, Val(Mid(b, i, 1)), 1))
  Next
  lhst2 = 0
  For i = 1 To Len(c)
   lhst2 = lhst2 + Val(Mid(coins, Val(Mid(c, i, 1)), 1))
  Next
  rhst2 = 0
  For i = 1 To Len(d)
   rhst2 = rhst2 + Val(Mid(coins, Val(Mid(d, i, 1)), 1))
  Next
  If lhst1 = rhst1 And lhst2 = rhst2 Then
    w = w + 1
    how$(w) = coins$
  End If
  permute coins
 Loop Until coins = h
 ways = w
End Function


  Posted by Charlie on 2016-01-13 13:42:02
Please log in:
Login:
Password:
Remember me:
Sign up! | Forgot password


Search:
Search body:
Forums (0)
Newest Problems
Random Problem
FAQ | About This Site
Site Statistics
New Comments (11)
Unsolved Problems
Top Rated Problems
This month's top
Most Commented On

Chatterbox:
Copyright © 2002 - 2024 by Animus Pactum Consulting. All rights reserved. Privacy Information