Friday October 20Th 2023

[jf2k]

solution to 10 bags metal coins with 1 bag gold coins

[elliemay1]

Is there any more info?

[newmodarmy]

Is it the one where you have to use scales to find out which bag has the gold coins, but there's a restriction on the number of weighing you do?

[newmodarmy]

It's normally 10 bags in total with 9 genuine and one fake- but the strategy is to take 1 coin from the first bag, 2 from the second, 3 from the third , and so on; then weigh these 55 coins.  The overall weight will allow you to work it out

[newmodarmy]

If my tip doesn't help you then please post the exact problem and I should be able to offer a solution if I am online later.

[sandyRoe]

Put 5 bags on each side of a scale.  If they balance the bag you haven't used had the gold.

If they don't balance the gold will be one of the bags on the heavier side.  Put 2 of them on each side of scale.  If they balance the gold's in the bag you haven't used.

If they don't balance you have 2 bags, one contains the gold.

Weigh them.  

Probably can be done with less than three tried.  I await with interest the suggestions of other ABers

[newmodarmy]

Yes, there are different versions of the problem with different rules about how many times you can use the scales.  Let's hope jf2k can provide the exact wording.

[newmodarmy]

However, I do think SandyRoes is probably the answer jf2k is looking for.

[mallyh]

can't you just look in the bags lol ?

[sandyRoe]

No, no, no!  That would be far too simple.  :-)