You have 12 coins. They are completely identical except six of them weigh 24g and the other six weigh 25g. You have only a balance scale to sort them out. What is the minimum number of weighings which guarantees all the coins to be sorted?

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"> <TBODY> <TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"> <TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">I really like this puzzle when I first saw it but that was like 7 years ago.  I know it is a good problem for those starting out so.  </TD></TR> <TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"> <TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Posted by jon&lilet on 2004-04-16 04:27:41