26 Aug '03 14:08>
The problem is simple:
You have 12 marbles, who look all the same. One of them differs slightly in mass from the others. You don't know if it's havier or lighter. How do you find out which one differs, by only using a balance, and only using it trice? You don't have to know if it's havier or lighter (there is a solution though, that gives you a high probability that you do know it.)
If it's too easy for you, then try to figure out out of how many marbles you can find the odd one by only using the balance four times.
You have 12 marbles, who look all the same. One of them differs slightly in mass from the others. You don't know if it's havier or lighter. How do you find out which one differs, by only using a balance, and only using it trice? You don't have to know if it's havier or lighter (there is a solution though, that gives you a high probability that you do know it.)
If it's too easy for you, then try to figure out out of how many marbles you can find the odd one by only using the balance four times.