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Pastimes : Brain Teasers. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: space cadet who wrote (88)3/2/1998 5:20:00 AM
From: Mitch Blevins  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 136
 
Space Cadet... here is a solution for your ball-breaker
*******************************************************

Label the balls 1 through 12.

Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 1,2,3,4
SIDE2: 5,6,7,8

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 1,2,5
SIDE2: 3,6,9

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 1
SIDE2: 2

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
// Ball 1 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
// Ball 2 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
else if(balanced)
{
// Ball 6 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 3
SIDE2: 9

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
// Ball 3 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
// Impossible, should never happen
}
else if(balanced)
{
// Ball 5 is the odd ball, and is light
}
}
else if(balanced)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 7
SIDE2: 8

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
// Ball 8 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
// Ball 7 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
else if(balanced)
{
// Ball 4 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
}
}

else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 1,2,5
SIDE2: 3,6,9

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 3
SIDE2: 9

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
// Impossible, should never happen
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
// Ball 3 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
else if(balanced)
{
// Ball 5 is the odd ball, and is heavy
}
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 1
SIDE2: 2

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
// Ball 2 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
// Ball 1 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
else if(balanced)
{
// Ball 6 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
}
else if(balanced)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 7
SIDE2: 8

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
// Ball 7 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
// Ball 8 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
else if(balanced)
{
// Ball 4 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
}
}

else if(balanced)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 9,10
SIDE2: 11,1

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 9
SIDE2: 10

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
// Ball 9 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
// Ball 10 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
else if(balanced)
{
// Ball 11 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 9
SIDE2: 10

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
// Ball 10 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
// Ball 9 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
else if(balanced)
{
// Ball 11 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
}
else if(balanced)
{
Load the scales as shown:
SIDE1: 12
SIDE2: 1

if(SIDE1 heavier than SIDE2)
{
// Ball 12 is the odd-ball, and is heavy
}
else if(SIDE2 heavier than SIDE1)
{
// Ball 12 is the odd-ball, and is light
}
else if(balanced)
{
// Should never happen
}
}
}


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