99 BALLS

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Hey there! Are you ready to give your brain a fun challenge? Let’s dive into the 99 Balls Game, a classic puzzle that’s all about using your logic and problem-solving skills.

Here’s the scenario: you have 99 balls, 98 of which are identical, and one unique ball. You have a scale that can be used only three times. Your goal is to find the unique ball. Sounds simple, but trust me, it’s not as easy as it seems!

Here’s the solution:

Step 1: First Weighing Divide the balls into three groups of 33 each. Place one group on one side of the scale and the other group on the other side. If the scale balances, the unique ball is in the remaining group of 33. If it tips, the unique ball is in the heavier group.

Step 2: Second Weighing Take the group with the unique ball and divide it into three groups of 11 each. Place one group on one side of the scale and the other group on the other side. If the scale balances, the unique ball is in the remaining group of 11. If it tips, the unique ball is in the heavier group.

Step 3: Third Weighing Take the group of 11 balls and choose any two balls. Place one on each side of the scale. If the scale tips, the unique ball is the heavier one. If it balances, the remaining ball from the group of 11 is the unique one.

So, why does this work? It’s all about repeatedly dividing the possibilities in half, eliminating a significant portion of the potential balls each time, until you narrow down the search to the unique one.

And the best part? This puzzle has many variations! You can adapt it to use any number of balls, introduce more than one unique ball, or add constraints to make it even more challenging.

The takeaway from this puzzle is that it’s not just about solving a brain teaser – it’s about learning a valuable lesson in efficient problem-solving. It teaches us to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable steps and use strategic thinking to find solutions. So next time you encounter a tough task, remember the 99 Balls Game and how you can use a process of elimination to reach your goal.