Question 1017215: If you have four boxes, all identical looking, but all with different weights, can you order them from the lightest to the heaviest using balancing scales no more than 5 times? Yes or No.
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20054)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Weighing #1:
Select two boxes, label the lighter box A and the heavier box B.
Weighing #2:
Weigh the remaining two boxes, label the lighter box C and the
heavier box D.
Weighing #3:
Weigh the two lighter boxes, A and C. The lighter of these is
the lightest of all 4 boxes.
Weighing #4:
Weigh the two heavier boxes, B and D. The heavier of these is
the heaviest of all 4 boxes.
That means the other two are the middle-weights
Weighing #5:
Weigh those two middle-weights. The lighter of these two is
the next to the lightest. The heavier of these two is the
next to heaviest.
Now you have them in order from lightest to heaviest.
Edwin
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