A market vendor sells dried cooking herbs in whole-number
amounts from 1 to 40 grams. The vendor has an old-fashioned two pan weigh
scale, and has exactly four weights of different amounts that allows them to
weigh out any of these amounts of herbs -- without using the herbs or any other
object as an auxiliary weight.
What are the values of the four weights?
What are the values of the four weights?
The values of the four weights are 1, 2, 3, and 5 grams. Those
all are prime numbers.
Are there several correct solutions?
Are there several correct solutions?
Yes, there are various correct solutions. For example, we
can use other prime numbers which also come from 1 to 40. Like 7, 11, 13, up
to 40. However, we have 7 if we add 2 and 5 and we have 11 if we add 5+5+1. I have
noticed that I can use the smallest first four prime numbers. Therefore, the values
of the four weights are 1, 2, 3, and 5 grams.
I have revised my solution.
My current solution is have mentioned below:
The values of the four weights are 1, 3, 9, and 27 grams. there is no various solution we have for the puzzle.
1 and 3 gave the most consecutive numbers starting at 1. 9 would be the next number to add in order to get the number 13 - 5. 5 = 9-3-1 and so on. 1+3+9+27=40.
How could you extend this puzzle to help your students understand the mathematics more deeply?
I have revised my solution.
My current solution is have mentioned below:
The values of the four weights are 1, 3, 9, and 27 grams. there is no various solution we have for the puzzle.
1 and 3 gave the most consecutive numbers starting at 1. 9 would be the next number to add in order to get the number 13 - 5. 5 = 9-3-1 and so on. 1+3+9+27=40.
How could you extend this puzzle to help your students understand the mathematics more deeply?
I can extend this puzzle in various ways that help my students
understand math more deeply. I can give a bigger number rather
than 40 or restrict them to use only odd/even numbers to use for the value of
weight. I ask them open-ended questions:
What if we do not use prime numbers for the values of the weight?
Thanks for both your original and revised versions!
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