Problem:

There are 12 Tyreses on an island. They all look exactly the same and all of them except
for one weigh exactly the same amount. That one Tyrese is either heavier OR lighter.
There is a large see-saw on the island. You can use the see-saw THREE TIMES to weigh
any combination of Tyreses against each other. Your job: figure out which Tyrese is
heavier or lighter and whether he is heavier or lighter.
STEP 1
Weigh 1,2,3,4 against 5,6,7,8
There are three possible outcomes:
If 1,2,3,4 balances with 5,6,7,8 go to Step 2, case 1
If 1,2,3,4 is heavier than 5,6,7,8 go to step 2, case 2
If 1,2,3,4 is lighter than 5,6,7,8 go to step 2, case 3
Step 2, case 1
Note: Because 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, and 8 all weigh the same amount, you know that 9,10,11, or
12 is heavier OR lighter.
Weigh 9, 10, and 11 against 1, 2, and 3
If they balance, then you know that 12 is either heavier or lighter. Step 3: weigh
12 against any other Tyrese.
o If 12 is LIGHTER than that Tyrese, 12 is the light Tyrese
o If 12 is HEAVIER than that Tyrese, 12 is the heavy Tyrese
If 9,10, and 11 are heavier than 1, 2, and 3 then Step 3: weigh 9 against 10
o If 9 and 10 BALANCE, 11 is the heavy Tyrese
o If 9 is HEAVIER than 10, 9 is the heavy Tyrese
o If 10 is HEAVIER than 9, 10 is the heavy Tyrese
if 9, 10, and 11 are LIGHTER than 1, 2, and 3 then STEP 3: weigh 9 against 10
o If 9 and 10 BALANCE, 11 is the light Tyrese
o If 9 is LIGHTER than 10, 9 is the light Tyrese
o If 10 is LIGHTER than 9, 10 is the light Tyrese
Step 2, case 2
Note: Because 1,2,3,4 is heavier than 5,6,7,8, you know that Tyrese 1,2,3, or 4 is heavier
or 5,6,7, or 8 is lighter. You also know that Tyreses 9,10,11, and 12 are all normal
weight.
Strategy: You know the Tyrese youre looking for is Tyrese 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, or 8, but you
still dont know if hes heavier or lighter. By the end of the second weighing, you need
to narrow your Tyrese options down to a maximum of 3 choices and you need to know if
youre looking for a heavy or a light Tyrese. You will do this by creating 3 groups:
Tyreses that stay on the same side of the scale as in the first weighing, Tyreses who
switch sides of the scale from the first weighing, and Tyreses who are no longer being
weighed. Each group can contain no more than 3 Tyreses. Because youre starting with
8 possible Tyreses, the groups will have 3, 3, and 2 members respectively. So..if during
the second weighing, the scale does the same thing as it did in weighing one, your culprit

is in the first group. If the scale does the opposite, your culprit is in the second group. If
the scale balances, then your culprit was not weighed.
Heres how you do it:
Weigh 1,2,5 against 3,6,9.
Note: 1,2 and 6 are on the same side; 5 and 3 have switched sides; 4, 7, and 8 are not
being weighed.
If they balance, you know that its not 1,2,3, 5, or 6. Its 4,7, or 8. Because this is
case 2, you know from the first weighing that either 4 is heavier OR 7 or 8 is
lighter, so STEP 3: weigh 7 against 8
o if 7 is lighter, 7 is the light Tyrese.
o If 8 is lighter, 8 is the light Tyrese
o If 7 and 8 balance, 4 is the heavy Tyrese
If 1,2,5 is heavier than 3,6,9 then either 1 or 2 is heavier or 6 is lighter.
STEP 3: weigh 1 against 2
o If 1 is heavier, 1 is the heavy Tyrese
o If 2 is heavier, 2 is the heavy Tyrese
o If 1 and 2 balance, 6 is the light Tyrese
if 1,2,5 is lighter than 3,6,9 then 5 is lighter OR 3 is heavier. STEP 3: weigh 3
against any ball but 5.
o If they balance, 5 is light Tyrese.
o If 3 is heavier, 3 is the heavy Tyrese
Step 2, case 3
This is basically the same as case 2, except all the heavier and lighters are switched.
Here goes:
Weigh 1,2,5 against 3,6,9
If they balance, you know that its not 1,2,3, 5, or 6. Its 4,7, or 8. Because this is
case 3, you know from the first weighing that either 4 is lighter OR 7 or 8 is
heavier, so STEP 3: weigh 7 against 8
o If 7 is heavier, 7 is the heavy Tyrese.
o If 8 is heavier, 8 is the heavy Tyrese
o If 7 and 8 balance, 4 is the light Tyrese
If 1,2,5 is lighter than 3,6,9 then either 1 or 2 is lighter or 6 is heavier.
STEP 3: weigh 1 against 2
o If 1 is lighter, 1 is the light Tyrese
o If 2 is lighter, 2 is the light Tyrese
o If 1 and 2 balance, 6 is the heavy Tyrese
if 1,2,5 is heavier than 3,6,9 then 5 is heavier OR 3 is lighter.
STEP 3: weigh 3 against any ball but 5.
o If they balance, 5 is the heavy Tyrese.
o If 3 is heavier, 3 is the light Tyrese