Premise
A well-known example has nine (or fewer) items, say coins (or balls), that are identical in weight save for one, which in this example we will say is lighter than the others—a counterfeit (an oddball). The difference is only perceptible by using a pair of scales balance, but only the coins themselves can be weighed.
Is it possible to isolate the counterfeit coin with only two weighings?
Read more about this topic: Balance Puzzle
Famous quotes containing the word premise:
“We have to give ourselves—men in particular—permission to really be with and get to know our children. The premise is that taking care of kids can be a pain in the ass, and it is frustrating and agonizing, but also gratifying and enjoyable. When a little kid says, “I love you, Daddy,” or cries and you comfort her or him, life becomes a richer experience.”
—Anonymous Father. Ourselves and Our Children, by Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, ch. 3 (1978)