riddles

[roscoe]

Frank and some of the boys were exchanging old war stories. James offered one about how his grandfather (Captain Smith)led a battalion against a German division during World War I. Through brilliant maneuvers he defeated them and captured valuable territory. Within a few months after the battle he was presented with a sword bearing the inscription: <br />"To Captain Smith for Bravery, Daring and Leadership, World War One, from the Men of Battalion 8." <br /><br />Frank looked at James and said, "You really don't expect anyone to believe that yarn, do you?" What is wrong with the story?<br />*******************************<br /><br />There are eight pills. They are all the same size and color. One pill weighs slightly more than the others and it is poisonous. You have a balance scale and can only use it twice. How can you find the poisoned pill? <br /> <br />*********************************

 

[SlowlySinking]

Re: riddles

Hi roscoe, "from the Men of Battalion 8" doesn't ring true, sounds like a Fire Department term. <br /><br />eight pills. It can be solved with 3 weighings but 2 seems unlikely.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: riddles

they didn't call it ww1 a few months after the battle. let me work on the second one.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: riddles

weigh 4 and 4. take the heaviest 4 and split them up. weigh 2 and 2. take the heaviest two. eat one. you'll know.

 

[SlowlySinking]

Re: riddles

I stand corrected, it can be done with 2 weighings, (step 1) put 3 pills on each side of the scale, if it balances, there all the same, discard the 6 pills and (step 2) place one of the remaining 2 on each side, the heavier pill will be obvious, if in step 1 it didn't balance take the 3 pills from the side that sank, discard all the other pills and put one on each side, if one side sinks it's the heavy pill, if it balances the last pill is the heaviest.

 

[Xcusme]

Re: riddles

Take 6 pills (out of the original eight) and devide them into 2 groups of 3 pills each. Weigh these 2 groups, if they are equal, then the poisoned pill must be one of the 2 pills you didn't pick ( the 2 remaining pills from the original 8). Weigh these 2 pills to find the heavier one, that's the poisoned one.<br /><br />If the 2 groups of 3 pills each did not weight the same, remove 2 pills from the heavier side and weigh these 2 pills, the heavier pill is poisoned.<br /><br />If those 2 pills weigh the same, the left over pill is poisoned.

 

[roscoe]

Re: riddles

Very good gentlemen.<br />Extra cake for you three.