Problem:
All possible pairs of apples are weighed and the results are given to us in an arbitrary order. Can we determine the weights of the apples if
a.
b.
c. ?
Problem:
All possible pairs of apples are weighed and the results are given to us in an arbitrary order. Can we determine the weights of the apples if
a.
b.
c. ?
Solution:
a. No. Four apples with weights and with weights both give the results when weighed in pairs.
b. Yes. Let be the weights of the apples. As each apple is weighed 4 times, by adding all 10 pairwise weights and dividing the sum by 4, we obtain . Subtracting the smallest and the largest pairwise weights and from this we obtain . Subtracting from the second largest pairwise weight we obtain . Subtracting from the largest pairwise weight we obtain . and are similarly determined.
c. Yes. Let be the weights of the apples. As each apple is weighed 5 times, by adding all 15 pairwise weights and dividing the sum by 5, we obtain . Subtracting the smallest and the largest pairwise weights and from this we obtain .
Subtracting the smallest and the second largest pairwise weights and from we obtain . Similarly we obtain . We use these to obtain and .
Now are the three smallest among the remaining six pairwise weights. If we add these up, subtract the known weights and from the sum and divide the difference by 2, we obtain . Then the rest follows.