Can you solve the counterfeit coin riddle? - Jennifer Lu

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  • Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
  • View full lesson: ed.ted.com/less...
    You’re the realm’s greatest mathematician, but ever since you criticized the Emperor’s tax laws, you’ve been locked in the dungeon. Luckily for you, one of the Emperor’s governors has been convicted of paying his taxes with a counterfeit coin, which has made its way into the treasury. Can you earn your freedom by finding the fake? Jennifer Lu shows how.
    Lesson by Jennifer Lu, animation by Artrake Studio.

Комментарии • 10 тыс.

  • @GeometryDash8000
    @GeometryDash8000 5 лет назад +6596

    the emperor is an impatient man.
    *literally lets you think for eternity*

    • @realprisec
      @realprisec 4 года назад +44

      @Julious Lucas *doubt*

    • @illbeyourmonster1959
      @illbeyourmonster1959 4 года назад +94

      If this whole scenario isn't a huge red flag to how the kingdom is being run, you probably need to stay in the dungeon.

    • @Astromaniac8802
      @Astromaniac8802 4 года назад +8

      You can just ZA WARUDO apparently but you don’t abuse it

    • @elishatheknight
      @elishatheknight 4 года назад +1

      *wowza*

    • @yes9691
      @yes9691 4 года назад +2

      0MemeMan0 r/unexpectedjojo

  • @ryancallsin
    @ryancallsin 4 года назад +2415

    “Youre the realm’s greatest mathematician.”
    Ok, youve already lost me.

    • @neilfrize6647
      @neilfrize6647 4 года назад +35

      Mohammad King you only have 3 shots.

    • @nadian848
      @nadian848 3 года назад +12

      @@mohammadazad8350 you only get 3 shots tho

    • @themarshy83
      @themarshy83 3 года назад +4

      I have a solution.
      1) weigh 6 against 6
      2) Take the lighter stack and weigh 3 against 3
      3) take the lighter stack and weigh 1 against 1. If they balance, the remaining coin is the fake. If they are unbalanced, take the lighter coin.

    • @justsad2F2
      @justsad2F2 3 года назад +10

      @@themarshy83 it also can be heavier.. you don't know that

    • @Ir1sss_
      @Ir1sss_ 3 года назад

      @@nadian848 lmaoo that’s what I was thinking too

  • @mysticmushroom_
    @mysticmushroom_ 3 года назад +4577

    “The coins were already in the treasury”
    Yet, you are presented with only 12.
    This king is sure rich

    • @beepbop6542
      @beepbop6542 3 года назад +164

      Maybe they saw about where the coin ended up but not exactly where it was?

    • @theannoyingsisters6764
      @theannoyingsisters6764 3 года назад +51

      *he is totally so rich*

    • @Opal7777
      @Opal7777 3 года назад +44

      @@beepbop6542 that is true, not to mention what rich meant in older times

    • @SirVelo
      @SirVelo 3 года назад +25

      Im a bit late but in ye olde times there were also like ranks of coins I mean by that copper silver and gold it’s just like the normal times Ofcourse but still 100 gold coins there could mean 1000 silver coins and 10000 copper coins

    • @ivanleon6164
      @ivanleon6164 3 года назад +35

      so many died to lower the number to 12, each one with only 3 tries to find it. i salute them.

  • @Frimpa-MJEB
    @Frimpa-MJEB 3 года назад +3633

    0:52 But the Emperor's not a patient man
    **Weigh pieces of money one by one in 2 minutes**
    Emperor : Too slow!
    **Think in 2 hours of a possibility to only use balance 3 times**
    Emperor : Fast enough

    • @self-proclaimedanimator
      @self-proclaimedanimator 2 года назад +47

      If ask me I came up with an answer a lot faster and I am not even bright
      So other prolly would come up with an answer faster
      *Methmatican

    • @Idiotc
      @Idiotc 2 года назад +27

      I just split the 13 in half twice taking the lighter halves. So I had 12 and turned it into 6, I had 6 and turned it into three. I weighed two and and if equal then the fake is the one that I didn’t weigh but if one was lighter than the lighter one was the fake. Took me like 1 minute to solve

    • @iwbmo
      @iwbmo 2 года назад +1

      sock man is fast

    • @iwbmo
      @iwbmo 2 года назад +8

      @@Idiotc 12...? you mean 12 right not 13 because then you would have been splitting a coin in half

    • @Diemoth1987
      @Diemoth1987 2 года назад +2

      @@Idiotc yeap, the marker is useless :P

  • @rockstarrist-7897
    @rockstarrist-7897 7 лет назад +3110

    My Solution:
    1) Think for 10 minutes and tell the King you're ready.
    2) GO mental with the marker and mark all the coins after randomly weighing them.
    3) Pick one coin and tell the King that's the counterfeit.
    King doesn't know either, so you have survived.
    Cheers.

    • @idanraviv3079
      @idanraviv3079 7 лет назад +73

      look at rule 6 at 1:11

    • @TheLucarioBaoJunior
      @TheLucarioBaoJunior 7 лет назад +100

      Idan Raviv ignoring rule 6 would work

    • @ilikepizza4633
      @ilikepizza4633 7 лет назад +84

      Idan Raviv didn't say u had to guess right

    • @ovaloaf8780
      @ovaloaf8780 7 лет назад +3

      XD Perfect

    • @alexanderringenberg5712
      @alexanderringenberg5712 7 лет назад +19

      but the counterfeiter would still counterfeit ,and the king would realize that you made a mistake then throw you in the dungeon (If you don't run away)

  • @Anonymous71575
    @Anonymous71575 7 лет назад +10090

    And then the King realized that the marker was permanent and... threw you back to jail...

    • @ehnathanael
      @ehnathanael 7 лет назад +93

      my thought exactly lol

    • @cyrusjohnson245
      @cyrusjohnson245 7 лет назад +17

      ikr

    • @ranabanana3459
      @ranabanana3459 7 лет назад +15

      LOL DED

    • @katrinathekitchen
      @katrinathekitchen 7 лет назад +78

      Anonymous71475 Good point, he doesn't want ink on his coins, he would most likely force you back into the dungeon or have you decapitated.

    • @xw2560
      @xw2560 7 лет назад +5

      lolololo

  • @KarlMalowned32
    @KarlMalowned32 7 лет назад +1231

    I'm pretty much only subscribed for these riddle videos.

    • @WaterMeetsLava
      @WaterMeetsLava 7 лет назад +4

      KarlMalowned32 Like me you can just tap the bell on the playlist.

    • @levilevi9155
      @levilevi9155 7 лет назад +4

      KarlMalowned32 I thought I was the only one. I feel bad though, I think I should watch all of their videos for added knowledge.

    • @nivdexbram
      @nivdexbram 7 лет назад +4

      Same haha

    • @grandchonkulous
      @grandchonkulous 7 лет назад +1

      KarlMalowned32 Exactly

    • @Ben-jl2rh
      @Ben-jl2rh 7 лет назад +1

      KarlMalowned32 yes, we are all in the same boat here.

  • @NiftyNesty
    @NiftyNesty 3 года назад +521

    The hardest aspect of this and what people are missing is that the counterfeit is either heavier OR lighter, so you need to figure out that detail. You can’t assume the counterfeit is lighter/heavier from the beginning.

    • @voin5371
      @voin5371 Год назад

      Of cause but that isn't the lesson of the video if you get what I mean.

    • @deleted-something
      @deleted-something Год назад

      Exactly

    • @user-nj9ru4ef2w
      @user-nj9ru4ef2w Год назад +5

      no that's the easiest part. The hard part is solving the problem knowing that there's an extra piece of info you need to find out.

    • @alonkob2127
      @alonkob2127 7 месяцев назад +1

      What's fascinating is that by marking the coins with + or - marks, you effectively negate that issue. Having 9 coins, 4 marked with a - and 5 with a +, you can discover the fake one exactly like how you could do so if you knew the fake was heavier/lighter and you had 9 coins. This is why this riddle should be solvable with 14 coins instead of 12, IF you have a "safe" real coin from the beginning.

    • @antonioscendrategattico2302
      @antonioscendrategattico2302 4 месяца назад +1

      @@alonkob2127 But the 5 coins will always be heavier. Because there's more of them.

  • @hulohyou8536
    @hulohyou8536 4 года назад +2906

    If no one can tell the fake...
    Me: *takes random coin after three random weighs*
    Also me: THIS IS THE FAKE!

  • @Tunade5
    @Tunade5 3 года назад +4309

    “You’re the realm’s greatest mathematician.”
    Guys, I think we have a bigger problem here than a counterfeit coin.

    • @Neyobe
      @Neyobe 2 года назад +41

      😂

    • @ContentDeleted10332
      @ContentDeleted10332 2 года назад +29

      This might’ve been stolen
      Very similar to another comment but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt

    • @p3achyyp8p16
      @p3achyyp8p16 2 года назад +85

      @@ContentDeleted10332 it doesn't have to be stolen this comment is a classic for Ted ed videos.

    • @GoldChipz
      @GoldChipz 2 года назад +23

      Well clearly all the other mathematicians didn't know what's addition and subtraction

    • @KodakYarr
      @KodakYarr 2 года назад +11

      Also, this is not a mathematical problem. It's a logical conundrum.

  • @briidanielle_
    @briidanielle_ 3 года назад +813

    “6) There's no bribing the guards or any other trick.”
    they know our ways.

    • @therealveridicalyt497
      @therealveridicalyt497 2 года назад +38

      Bribe the king

    • @-thanawat-8296
      @-thanawat-8296 Год назад +5

      @@therealveridicalyt497 considering there’s atleast 15 people in the kingdom (12 treasures, 2 guards, you), and the treasury having 12 coins, either coins are very valuable or the income tax is just THAT high

    • @deleted-something
      @deleted-something Год назад

      Buy a helicopter and scape

    • @romanianpatriot3699
      @romanianpatriot3699 Год назад +1

      The romanian teacher ways dont work here

  • @sciphyskyguy4337
    @sciphyskyguy4337 2 года назад +617

    There’s a dark twist in any of the solutions to this puzzle…
    There will be one case out of all possible weighings where the scales have always balanced, and you have decided the last coin is counterfeit by elimination…but you haven’t actually weighed that last coin.
    If you encounter this particular case, you are sending the treasurer to his death without really knowing if that last coin is fake. This is exactly the case you would reach *every time* if this whole scheme is actually a set-up by the king to get rid of the treasurer…

    • @karlgunther1176
      @karlgunther1176 2 года назад +84

      Except, if there is no counterfeit, you would have singled out one coin in two steps of weighing and have one left to check it.

    • @axolotlyt3241
      @axolotlyt3241 2 года назад +48

      Third dark twist: your marker was permanent, you are 😵

    • @deleted-something
      @deleted-something Год назад

      Lol

    • @demonslime
      @demonslime Год назад +22

      This is not true. All three tries will only balance if there is no fake coin. This is because the solution not only allows you to determine the fake coin, but also determine whether it's heavier or lighter.
      If the first two weightings balance, you would have a single coin left over. You will then use the third attempt to compare this coin with any other coin to determine whether it's heavier or lighter.

    • @moseszero3281
      @moseszero3281 Год назад +17

      With balanced results it only takes two weighings to identify the fake. The first balanced 4v4 eliminates 8 coins. Then second weighing is 3 good coins vs 3 of the remaining unknown. Since they balance then those three are now good so then you have left the singular unweighed coin as the only possibility. Problem solved. But since you have and extra turn, you could even weigh the bad vs one of the good coins to see if its lighter or heavier.

  • @tdiaz5555
    @tdiaz5555 3 года назад +1850

    I refused to watch the solution when this video came out and I have been thinking about this riddle for years.
    Today I finally figured it out. I can't express how satisfied I feel.

  • @dougmcfarlane
    @dougmcfarlane 7 лет назад +4050

    Here's an easier solution. The King can't tell which one is fake, so, pick one at random and tell him that's the fake one. He can't prove you wrong!

    • @dougmcfarlane
      @dougmcfarlane 7 лет назад +278

      Oh, and what country is this? I think I'm paying higher taxes.

    • @shasankshakya2
      @shasankshakya2 7 лет назад +389

      A mind even greater than of a mathematician.
      Hats off to you!

    • @ProfessorSyndicateFranklai
      @ProfessorSyndicateFranklai 7 лет назад +162

      But when he has somebody else weigh all 12 coins individually...

    • @1ThePowner
      @1ThePowner 7 лет назад +146

      Sir Francis if he were able to get someone to do that wouldn't he just do it in the first place?

    • @ProfessorSyndicateFranklai
      @ProfessorSyndicateFranklai 7 лет назад +17

      Let's say it takes too long to weigh things on the scale and that the maths guy is thinking on the way there, so he could take less time.

  • @Abelhawk
    @Abelhawk 6 лет назад +1861

    "What are you doing drawing on the coins with a marker?! I said I was an impatient man! GET BACK IN JAIL"

    • @bottomtierbigo
      @bottomtierbigo 6 лет назад +21

      This is a logic puzzle as well. Really TED?

    • @huitlang931
      @huitlang931 6 лет назад +46

      Why are you sitting there confused?!!!!! Back in jail!

    • @OzziesMom
      @OzziesMom 5 лет назад +2

      Lol

    • @johnalair2000
      @johnalair2000 5 лет назад +2

      Hi dude i watch your vids! They’re awesome

    • @ricardomont808
      @ricardomont808 5 лет назад +3

      Maths : the scale won’t carry 9 coins so the counterfeit is an odd 1 out but you don’t know so you takes just hands test them all and the counterfeit coin will weigh different so boom the answer is simple : just weigh the coins and find the counterfeit

  • @izzyb_ella_m5362
    @izzyb_ella_m5362 3 года назад +822

    Who else never gets the answer/doesn’t try, but loves the answer because it’s so fascinating?

  • @DeathlyDiJ
    @DeathlyDiJ 7 лет назад +1019

    here i thought i was smart since i instantly got a solution. but i didnt take in consideration that the fake could be either heavier or ligther

  • @mastertrey4683
    @mastertrey4683 6 лет назад +1948

    The emperor is insane. If he gave me an unlimited number of tries, then i would be able to solve this problem faster than i would if he were to only give me three tries.
    But that’s just my 2 cents.

    • @mufin6930
      @mufin6930 6 лет назад +13

      the point is that u must do it very quickly with only 3 tries, if u require more time than it takes to do 3 quick balance checks then off with ur head

    • @elivandrisse
      @elivandrisse 6 лет назад +16

      Actually your 11 cents and a counterfeit coin.

    • @tuainajotogotogo7956
      @tuainajotogotogo7956 6 лет назад +2

      oh yeah yeah

    • @theticsnail0831
      @theticsnail0831 5 лет назад +2

      TWrecks 2 cents...ba dum tss

    • @duckymomo7935
      @duckymomo7935 5 лет назад +8

      The scale breaks or becomes unreliable as use increases.

  • @resliward4562
    @resliward4562 5 лет назад +8176

    I'M the realm's greatest mathmetician?
    Well, that's the first problem.
    edit: woah 8k ya'll? Thanks!

  • @cuchelo1
    @cuchelo1 3 года назад +182

    I truly admire ppl whose brains can comprehend things like this. Even watching the explanation, though, I resign myself to the fact that I would take the sweet release of death rather than trying to figure it out.

    • @gameskyjumper1721
      @gameskyjumper1721 2 года назад +6

      if we are being honest here, all of these solutions are non practical. they are all made out scenarios to fit the puzzle.

    • @sherazkamran642
      @sherazkamran642 2 года назад +8

      @@gameskyjumper1721 its more a game for us, and actually problem solving training which is fun.

    • @GurjeetSingh-Gur_Jeet_Ke
      @GurjeetSingh-Gur_Jeet_Ke 2 года назад

      May we share ?

    • @kunalkashelani585
      @kunalkashelani585 Год назад

      Well, I will tell you. I solved this puzzle a long time ago and the solution still went over my head (even though it was exactly the same). Even if you know the solution, just looking at an explanation doesn't do you any good. In order to fully understand it, you need to pause the video, map out what the commentator is saying and understand it in depth. Else, its just a sleeping pill.

    • @cyberdude8088
      @cyberdude8088 5 месяцев назад

      I solved it, but when i heard the answer, even if it's same, it sounded much more complex.

  • @lexik4603
    @lexik4603 7 лет назад +577

    If he's so impatient wouldn't he know that just weighing each one separately would be faster than all this fancy math shit

    • @unionmapping4129
      @unionmapping4129 7 лет назад +34

      Emperors are always portrayed to be little shits.

    • @rolan638
      @rolan638 7 лет назад

      Airam Roque do you have any proof that says otherwise?

    • @pallingtontheshrike6374
      @pallingtontheshrike6374 7 лет назад +15

      Well, you're the master mathematician. Doing this would take around... 5 seconds?

    • @supercool37
      @supercool37 7 лет назад

      Yeah

    • @Dragonoid269
      @Dragonoid269 7 лет назад +16

      Even if we assume the master mathematician comes up with the problem instantly, it would still take longer to actually fetch the mathematician instead of having a servant brute force search the false coin.

  • @abermen
    @abermen 3 года назад +1522

    "I've figured it out!"
    ...Watches solution...
    "I didn't figure it out."
    Me with all of these videos, pretty much.

    • @SujeetKumar-cd4cc
      @SujeetKumar-cd4cc 3 года назад +5

      Same here, I think of case 1= 4,4 coin, if all balance then fake in left 4 can be find out in 2 more ways; case 2= lets consider 4,4 is not balanced, then again we left with 4 coin so found out in 2 more ways.

    • @shalevasor911
      @shalevasor911 3 года назад +9

      @@SujeetKumar-cd4cc we arent left with 4 coins we are left with 8 since they can be heavier or lighter

    • @SujeetKumar-cd4cc
      @SujeetKumar-cd4cc 3 года назад

      @@shalevasor911 oh yeah, got it now. thanks

    • @abhijeettalukdar5004
      @abhijeettalukdar5004 3 года назад +1

      Me too

    • @WendyFilmsTheWorld
      @WendyFilmsTheWorld 3 года назад +1

      Me i just watch them to see how to figure them out i have never solved one the right way NOT ONCE

  • @Luchoedge
    @Luchoedge 7 лет назад +368

    figuring all that out would take more time than just dingo all the weighting in rapid succession. Impatient my ass.

    • @animeshwakade5939
      @animeshwakade5939 7 лет назад +3

      Lucho-Core tru dat 😂😂

    • @Paul.V.24
      @Paul.V.24 7 лет назад +1

      Was just about to say that.

    • @Aflay1
      @Aflay1 7 лет назад +13

      To be fair, most of this would be done in his head, in rapid succession.

    • @greenhat8978
      @greenhat8978 7 лет назад +1

      IKR?

    • @CoolJoshido212
      @CoolJoshido212 7 лет назад +1

      Lucho-Core true

  • @tzimisce1753
    @tzimisce1753 Год назад +59

    Technically, if one weighing turn is defined as "as long as you haven't finished stacking and haven't finished removing the ongoing stack", you can just add coins one by one on each side until one pair makes an unbalance.
    Once it does, you weigh one of the previous, real pairs' coin against one of the pair which was unbalanced. If they're equal, then the remaining coin of the unbalanced pair is the fake. If not, then you picked the fake one to test.

  • @checkmate5338
    @checkmate5338 7 лет назад +783

    *I solved it without ever using the balance scale.* Since the Emperor has no idea which one the counterfeit coin is, you can just pick any coin and pretend it's counterfeit.

    • @checkmate5338
      @checkmate5338 7 лет назад +79

      Check Mate

    • @gv5869
      @gv5869 7 лет назад +22

      GG you win.. Eatshit king.. haha

    • @shilohschwartz8671
      @shilohschwartz8671 7 лет назад +4

      Check Mate lol

    • @Pumbear
      @Pumbear 7 лет назад +70

      Just make up a really complicated explanation. The king won't understand it, he's not the smartest mathematician of the land.

    • @rpenguinboy
      @rpenguinboy 7 лет назад +8

      Check Mate LOOL so true

  • @lxlxxl6217
    @lxlxxl6217 6 лет назад +1734

    Nah. I have the simpliest solution. All you have to do is mark the coins randomly, pick up literally any coin, and say it's the fake. If the king asked you to do this calculation, that means he DOESN'T KNOW. So simply say whichever one is the counterfeit and get your tush out of jail. He'd never know because he will cease to never know because YOU are some genius and HE is not.

    • @SwordBlaze
      @SwordBlaze 6 лет назад +129

      Ravioli ravioli, give me the formuoli 😂😂😂😂😂

    • @sleepypotato7183
      @sleepypotato7183 6 лет назад +85

      It's how scammer works lol

    • @hsp15
      @hsp15 6 лет назад +61

      what if he ask for explaination ?

    • @daltoneudy7148
      @daltoneudy7148 6 лет назад +43

      The Lord has been using fake coins for awhile so he likely wanted the solution to find all the counterfeit coins.

    • @Dubious_Arts
      @Dubious_Arts 6 лет назад +55

      Either the king or one of his servants knows which one is fake, if they didn't then they wouldn't have been able to take the false coin out of the stockpile and put it into the group of 12 coins in the first place.

  • @fortunia08
    @fortunia08 4 года назад +2388

    Me, an intellectual: "So this is how you solve Captain Holt's island riddle..."

  • @isaacjohnsen867
    @isaacjohnsen867 3 года назад +176

    Alternatively, if you know the counterfeit is lighter, you could split the pile in half, then weigh them. Take the lighter side and then split it in half again, take this batches lighter side and put two of the coins on the scale. If they weigh the same, the third is counterfeit, if one is lighter, there's your counterfeit. This is a lot easier for me to remember than their solution, but obviously it requires you to know about this kingdom's counterfeit coin production.

    • @bucketofparts
      @bucketofparts 3 года назад +49

      This is the solution I came up with, too. Weird that they went the complicated route.

    • @seanty1317
      @seanty1317 3 года назад +43

      had the same solution, but I think it's because we don't know if the counterfeit coin is heavier or lighter than the real coins which is why it became this complicated.

    • @ZurilasZone
      @ZurilasZone 2 года назад +7

      @@seanty1317 nono they stated its lighter

    • @lflagr
      @lflagr 2 года назад +35

      @@ZurilasZone 1:12 Wrong, it says the counterfeit coin "is very slightly heavier or lighter"

    • @suoun6938
      @suoun6938 2 года назад +32

      @@bucketofparts because you don't know if it's heavier or lighter, this solution doesn't work

  • @JonatasAdoM
    @JonatasAdoM 6 лет назад +272

    The king is secretly also a genius. He gave him exactly the amount of measurements needed.

    • @ZeroIsMany
      @ZeroIsMany 5 лет назад +2

      Nah, he's just a tyrant who wanted his marker back, and tried to set the mathematician up to fail.

  • @tommurphy1880
    @tommurphy1880 5 лет назад +1392

    Of course the emperor lets you draw all over the coins

    • @artificialsweetner
      @artificialsweetner 4 года назад +37

      Damn. He would let us draw on his damn golden coins. Wow he sure is an patient man. But he isnt when someone uses counterfit coins to pay his taxes

    • @JBC352
      @JBC352 4 года назад +13

      •Mɪʟᴏ ᴀɴᴅ Vɪxɪᴇ • Or when you criticize his tax laws.

    • @wizardystaff
      @wizardystaff 4 года назад +1

      and change the weight of the coin with extra ink on the coin which make it impossible to guess correctly

    • @daerdevvyl4314
      @daerdevvyl4314 4 года назад +7

      wizardystaff Ink isn’t very heavy.

    • @archtansterpg4246
      @archtansterpg4246 4 года назад +3

      And yet you can only use the scale three times :P

  • @Sam-vn1yl
    @Sam-vn1yl 4 года назад +717

    When the emperor realizes that it took me longer to figure it out then to balance the scale 11 times

  • @spenjaminn3846
    @spenjaminn3846 Год назад +44

    The strategy actually works for 13 coins as well, with the only difference being at 2:03, where you have 2 unknown coins left instead of 1, but there’s still one more weighing left which can determine which of the two is fake, by weighing one against a real coin.

    • @kunalkashelani585
      @kunalkashelani585 Год назад +1

      No you can't. If you have two unmarked coins and only one chance to go, there's no way you can identify the coin and mark it heavier or lighter.

    • @seanstringfellow1163
      @seanstringfellow1163 Год назад

      With 13 coins, there's a series of weighings that will tell you which coin weighs different but depending on which coin it is you may not be able to tell if it is lighter or heavier-just that it does not weigh the same as the others. The algorithm of the 3 weighings that i'm familiar with is slightly different than what this video shows.@@kunalkashelani585

    • @naiko1744
      @naiko1744 8 месяцев назад +1

      @@kunalkashelani585 I didn't check what the other person proposed. However, i want to add that the problem, if i'm not wrong, should be theoretically solvable for 13 coins too, by adjusting the procedure, with just 3 weighings still.
      That is because even with 13 coins, there's a total of 27 possible answers (coin 1 heavier, coin 2 heavier...coin 13 heavier, coin 1 lighter, coin 2 lighter...coin 13 lighter, all coins equal. 13+13+1 = 27) .
      Now, every time we use the scale we are able to discern between 3 possible scenarios based on if the scale is balanced or unbalanced to the left or right.
      If we were able to exclude one third of the possible answers every time we used the scale, by equally distributing them among the scale outcomes, we would first go from 27 to 9, then 9 to 3, and then 3 to 1.

    • @kunalkashelani585
      @kunalkashelani585 8 месяцев назад

      @@naiko1744 I get your point, but mathematically it is not possible to identify the faulty coin, if the number of coins are 13.

    • @naiko1744
      @naiko1744 8 месяцев назад

      @@kunalkashelani585 Yeah, i was thinking about it in bed tonight, and I think one would need an extra reference non-counterfeit coin, in addition to the other 13 to check

  • @annacollins8999
    @annacollins8999 7 лет назад +1679

    the king then says "tis a witch!" and sends you to the gallows

    • @hedoeswhathewants5268
      @hedoeswhathewants5268 7 лет назад +11

      Lmao :') brilliant

    • @jeikiu
      @jeikiu 7 лет назад +23

      Haha, that has a certain probability as well. :D

    • @MCVessels
      @MCVessels 7 лет назад +28

      He'll need larger scales to prove that, though.

    • @gurtajsingh4493
      @gurtajsingh4493 7 лет назад +4

      Aidan Collins iiiii

    • @KogoGaming
      @KogoGaming 7 лет назад +6

      laugh my fucking ass off

  • @TakingThisWay
    @TakingThisWay 7 лет назад +556

    15% of the comments: Jokes
    80% of the comments: People who think they got it but didnt think that they dont know if the fake coin is heavy or light
    5% is the rest

    • @barneyholt2287
      @barneyholt2287 7 лет назад +17

      TakingThisWay you forgot the 0.5% that's people like you 😅

    • @Mernom
      @Mernom 7 лет назад +4

      I ended up on the 2nd group... My solution only works if the fake coin is KNOWN to be either lighter OR heavier, not unknown.

    • @Marscael24
      @Marscael24 7 лет назад +2

      Barney Holt then you will have 100.5%

    • @rajeshsharmajaipur
      @rajeshsharmajaipur 7 лет назад +1

      me too in the second group :)

    • @andrewolivetreemixing
      @andrewolivetreemixing 7 лет назад

      TakingThisWay haha I'm in the majority, womp womp

  • @luxandhonor5101
    @luxandhonor5101 4 года назад +2318

    Answer:
    Step 1) verify that you have green eyes
    Step 2) The king will give you permission to leave

  • @MisterWhat100
    @MisterWhat100 5 месяцев назад +6

    I'll always have a respect for this video since it was the very first TedEd video I ever found. Back in 2017.

  • @Di-xp7uc
    @Di-xp7uc 7 лет назад +599

    I just gave up so quick. And I know I'm not the only one.

  • @hollydoes.
    @hollydoes. 6 лет назад +386

    The answer: The king gets mad because you draw all over his coins so even if you're right he'll throw you in the dungeon anyway

    • @zedaddy3530
      @zedaddy3530 6 лет назад

      VirtuallyGlace c;
      *EASY
      *A-ALI INTO PLAYS*

    • @TheLucarioBaoJunior
      @TheLucarioBaoJunior 6 лет назад

      Holly does...
      well if it’s not permanent you might be able to erase it

    • @ivanmertadiwangsa9571
      @ivanmertadiwangsa9571 6 лет назад +1

      And as punishment the king order you to eat all of the coins

  • @georgiaewington
    @georgiaewington 7 лет назад +859

    what you do is you tell the emperor "look so you want to find the counterfeit coin or not? right. i'll use the scales 12 times then.

    • @Jgrace767
      @Jgrace767 7 лет назад +7

      Georgia Ewington
      👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

    • @sapphiro
      @sapphiro 7 лет назад +31

      Georgia Ewington ok then I'm The Emperor and say that scale is in bad condition and will break after 3rd use...

    • @georgiaewington
      @georgiaewington 7 лет назад +24

      sapphiro buy new scales

    • @sapphiro
      @sapphiro 7 лет назад +27

      Georgia Ewington Precision scale is difficult to make and it will take my finest artisan one month to built. I need result now.

    • @georgiaewington
      @georgiaewington 7 лет назад +15

      give me minute to make a call. theres one in the next town. about 10 mins from here

  • @ankitmeena6842
    @ankitmeena6842 2 года назад +5

    A much more elegant (and somewhat easy solution):
    1) Divide pile into four groups with 3 coins each
    2) take any two piles and weigh them:
    a) If the two piles weigh equal, this means the fake coin is in the remaining two piles
    b) else the fake coin is in one of the two piles you just weighed
    For case b)
    # mark the lighter pile "-" and heavier pile coin with "+".
    # weigh the "+" pile against any unused pile of 3 coins.
    # If these two are equal, then the fake coin is in the "-" pile of three coins else it's in the "+" pile
    # since we're now only left with a faulty pile of 3 coins, take one coin each from faulty pile and weigh both against each other
    # if they're equal, the remaining coin from faulty pile is the faulty one
    # else the heavier one with "+" sign is the fake.
    The same can be checked for other cases as well

    • @HeckYouEpically
      @HeckYouEpically 2 года назад

      But what if the coin is heavier

    • @ExplainDigital
      @ExplainDigital Год назад +3

      ​@@HeckYouEpicallyI have checked and acc to me many cases in this solution take 4 attempts, not 3

    • @HeckYouEpically
      @HeckYouEpically Год назад

      @@ExplainDigital Ok

    • @cyberdude8088
      @cyberdude8088 5 месяцев назад +1

      It will work if it's case b

    • @locophat
      @locophat Месяц назад

      This is the solution I came up with when I watched it too.

  • @jesseli662
    @jesseli662 6 лет назад +225

    So apparently the emperor doesn't have time for you to measure all the coins, but does have time for you to think about how to do it in 3 weighings

    • @adantewalker5882
      @adantewalker5882 6 лет назад +28

      And explain it on a white board with illustrations

  • @vibscraft1069
    @vibscraft1069 4 года назад +307

    Me:*calls a random coin counterfeit since the king wouldn't question the best mathematician's choice*

  • @jjtomecek1623
    @jjtomecek1623 7 лет назад +299

    i feel like it would be quicker for me to just weigh all the coins against each other rather than take the time to come up with this plan

    • @Oheyitsclaudette
      @Oheyitsclaudette 7 лет назад +7

      AJ Tomecek it would be easier but impossible since you're only allowed to use the scale 3 times and you have 12 coins.

    • @CalliopePony
      @CalliopePony 7 лет назад +31

      Yes, but the reason for the three use limit is the fact that the king is impatient. If he's impatient then he should want it done in the least amount of time rather than the fewest scale uses. He doesn't even need the mathematician, since he could have anybody weigh each coin against the others in less time than it would take to summon the mathematician from the dungeon.

    • @jjtomecek1623
      @jjtomecek1623 7 лет назад +1

      Calliope Pony lol I didn't even think about that. Yeah, he doesn't even need the mathematician, he could just have had anybody to do it

    • @jakubpekarek6400
      @jakubpekarek6400 7 лет назад +12

      The point is, that if there were thousand coins (as in real treasury), weighting each individually would take much more time (over an hour) than doing prety much the same thing as here in which case you'd need to use the weights 7 time if you were very clever. So say, 15 times would suffice without doing it in such a complicated way, and figuring out such relaxed solution takes like 5 minutes. Also, if you were looking for the false coin several times, it would be profitable to optimize the process. Welcome to algoritmization and computer science, that's what it's all about.

    • @vrabiealexandru2755
      @vrabiealexandru2755 7 лет назад +6

      AJ Tomecek but if there were 1000 coins, it would take too much to make piles, and probably no space, a
      the marker would run out and you would be just stuck

  • @jedi_cat_l4976
    @jedi_cat_l4976 3 года назад +12

    "Bro why are you drawing on my coins???"
    "Im trying to save my hide."

  • @stuffedcinema7374
    @stuffedcinema7374 7 лет назад +1124

    I'm no mathemetician, but I'm pretty sure this method would take longer than weighing the coins individually

    • @ritikchawla8298
      @ritikchawla8298 7 лет назад +12

      Stuffed Cinema He is a mathematician. He solves a problems in minutes or maybe seconds

    • @stuffedcinema7374
      @stuffedcinema7374 7 лет назад +40

      Ritik Chawla even if you're a mathemetician, I doubt you'd be able to solve a problem like 4x(1/3)^3=5(1/2)^x
      in a few seconds.

    • @Marscael24
      @Marscael24 7 лет назад +3

      Stuffed Cinema well it is possible?

    • @KingCadmos
      @KingCadmos 7 лет назад +4

      Greatest mathematician in the world

    • @stuffedcinema7374
      @stuffedcinema7374 7 лет назад

      King Cadmos has not in the world, just the county

  • @bonormayambem7476
    @bonormayambem7476 5 лет назад +659

    so y'all gonna lock me up for no good reason, then call me to do your homework, and y'all really have the nerve to tell me you're impatient. Please lock me up forever

    • @praveenanookala4457
      @praveenanookala4457 4 года назад +3

      😂😂😂

    • @praveenanookala4457
      @praveenanookala4457 4 года назад

      😂😂😂

    • @enskripticons
      @enskripticons 4 года назад +1

      ✌️😌 So true

    • @CNV71
      @CNV71 4 года назад +2

      In front of him, nobody will say this 😂😂

    • @enskripticons
      @enskripticons 4 года назад +1

      @@CNV71 Tbh I would say everything they said in Bonor's comment like- Don't call me to do your darn HW 😤🔪

  • @PauIdenino
    @PauIdenino 6 лет назад +599

    Before watching the solution I think this is how it goes:
    1. Put 6 coins on the other side of the scale, 6 on the other. Other stack will be slightly heavier, other lighter.
    2. Now put the lighter stack aside and divide the heavier stack in 2, so it's 3 on the other side and 3 on the other.
    3. Oops, just realized the fake coin can be in the lighter stack too, so this doesn't help you at all.

    • @atridleiyell6863
      @atridleiyell6863 5 лет назад +10

      Paul Denino I will just find the two coins that are balanced (which will help me identify the real coin) then measure one coin to the other real coin it will took time but it wi be faster than planning it thoroughly

    • @biologydoesntlie4093
      @biologydoesntlie4093 5 лет назад +14

      Atrid Leiyell this method doesn’t work since we don’t know whether the counterfeit is heavier or lighter than the rest.

    • @lucyholland3623
      @lucyholland3623 5 лет назад +2

      I had that solution but it needs an extra step in it resulting in four or five weighs...

    • @Mats3209
      @Mats3209 5 лет назад +11

      First I thought that too, then I relised that it can be lighter or heavier, so you still don't know

    • @ssrini2002
      @ssrini2002 5 лет назад +9

      No, that’s not where you’re at fault. The counterfeit will be in the lighter stack. If you’re going to make a coin heavier with the same material then that just means that the value of the coin is more than it’s face value. So you put the heavier stack aside and split the lighter stack in half. Now you take the lighter one and out of them you take any two and put them in the scale. Now you’ve figured it out!

  • @777LasVias
    @777LasVias 4 месяца назад +3

    I came up with a little diffrent solution, pls correct me if it doesnt work that way.
    So lets say, that the first 4 on each side are balanced. Than you can just take 2 of the remaining 4 and compare with 2 of the real coins:
    If its still balanced you know its one of the other 2 and you can just take 1 and compare to a regular coin and decide which 1 is odd.
    If it is unbalanced you do the same procedure with this 2. This way you dont need to mark them.
    Now if the 4 one each side are not balanced, you should mark them with a + and a -, depending if they are on the heavier or lighter side.
    Now you take away 2 possibly lighter coins and make group the remaining coins into to groups of 2+ and one -.
    If it is balanced you know 1 of the minus coins not on the scale are odd and you can just compare 1 from them with a normal 1 and see if this is the odd 1 or the other must be.
    If it is unbalanced you know the odd one is either the minus coin on the lighter side or one of the 2 plus coins one the heavier side.
    Now you can put the minus coin with one of the plus coins together and compare to 2 regular coins.
    if its equel the remaining plus coin is the odd one.
    if it is lighter then the minus coin is the odd one.
    and if it is heavier than the plus coin on the scale is the odd one.
    My english is not the best, but I hope y‘all understand my thoughts.

    • @ahmedh1896
      @ahmedh1896 4 месяца назад +3

      OH MY GOD YOU‘RE A GENIUS 😱😱😱 can i have your number papi chulo 🥵

  • @2Pinnz
    @2Pinnz 7 лет назад +76

    The emperor was too impatient to let him weigh them each separately, yet patient enough to hear out the long explanation near the end. Wot???

    • @CandiiANDToastii
      @CandiiANDToastii 3 месяца назад

      i mean, the video is only 4 minutes sooo,
      even a toddler can wait that long

  • @Max_j9578
    @Max_j9578 4 года назад +229

    "there is no bribing the guards" with what? the possible counterfeit money in front of you? of course not!

    • @jyotsna3617
      @jyotsna3617 3 года назад +7

      Especially when the king is in front of you

    • @susamogus8331
      @susamogus8331 3 года назад +25

      "Hey John, you want this coin? All you have to do is let me go, it's only a 1 in 16 chance to be fake. The king? Nah he can't hear us we're invisible"

    • @jyotsna3617
      @jyotsna3617 3 года назад

      @@susamogus8331 lol

  • @diegoavesani530
    @diegoavesani530 3 года назад +457

    "But the emperor it's an impatient man"
    *Also the emperor when he realizes that this procedure takes 10 times the amount of time you would have used if only you were allowed to use the scale however tf you want* "-_-"

    • @DespOIcito
      @DespOIcito 3 года назад +2

      It really wouldn't though

    • @dillon8124
      @dillon8124 3 года назад +12

      @@DespOIcito it would definitely take less time to balance each coin than draw out and explain 4:09

    • @DespOIcito
      @DespOIcito 3 года назад +3

      @@dillon8124 They wouldn't need to draw out or explain it though, that's only for the viewer to understand how it works.
      ETA: All they need to actually do is draw the symbols and weigh the coins until they identify the fake. They don't need to explain their reasoning as they go. It's faster this way than using the scale however you want.

    • @lisahenry20
      @lisahenry20 3 года назад +12

      @@DespOIcito but they would have to think of the solution. And if my life was at risk, I'd be double and triple checking my solution before starting.

    • @DespOIcito
      @DespOIcito 3 года назад +4

      @@lisahenry20 which would barely take any time because you're an expert mathematician...

  • @TerenceTeri-xu3jc
    @TerenceTeri-xu3jc Год назад +7

    Another elegant solution is to label each of the 12 coins one of the 24 three letter word, each letter being L,R or O (except for the LLL,RRR and OOO) words. Call two words conjugate if one can be the other after swapping L for R and vice versa. Hence LLR and RRL are conjugates. Now label each coin so that no two of them have conjugate words (since each of the 24 words have exactly 1 conjugate, this means that you can use exactly 12 such words which happens to be the number of coins!). So if a coin is labelled LRO then it will be on the Right, Left then Off the scale in the first, second and third weightings respectively. It's easy to see that on each weighting, there are exactly 4 coins on the right, left and off scale. Record the leaning side of the Ballance on each of the 3 weightings record O if it ballances (notice the recordings can't be one of RRR,LLL or OOO as how we labeled the coins). Suppose the recording of the leaning sides are ROL then if there is a coin labeled ROL then it is the Counterfeit coin and it is heavier than the rest. Otherwise there is a coin labeled LOR (a conjugate) this is the counterfeit coin and it is lighter than the rest.

    • @robertora6653
      @robertora6653 Год назад +2

      Great explanation. Thank you

    • @tristarnova3454
      @tristarnova3454 Год назад +2

      That’s actually a clean and slick solution.

    • @freek520
      @freek520 6 месяцев назад

      This does not work for this riddle, because the counterfeit coin can be either lighter OR heavier

  • @diegorey2655
    @diegorey2655 7 лет назад +224

    So the Lord aint got time to wait for twelve measures but he does to wait for the drawing of the probability chart in the board at the end...

    • @ItsChiggy
      @ItsChiggy 6 лет назад

      Diego Rey yeah cuz he’s testing your math skills

  • @fentanyl874
    @fentanyl874 5 лет назад +1172

    I didn’t know Thanos was so good at math

    • @junodisarapong6635
      @junodisarapong6635 5 лет назад +1

      ROFLMFAOOO

    • @hardikrana3529
      @hardikrana3529 4 года назад +1

      @@junodisarapong6635 what even is the full form of that

    • @blankname6657
      @blankname6657 4 года назад +22

      In the comics actually, Thanos was an exemplary student. He aced every single test and he had a thirst for knowledge

    • @Ltdayman1000
      @Ltdayman1000 4 года назад +3

      Mr. Anonymous huh interesting

    • @christianali5431
      @christianali5431 4 года назад

      qweryt or looked like that before the gauntlet.

  • @TheJokeKiller
    @TheJokeKiller 7 лет назад +396

    Comrades, I am of having real solution with not needing of scale. Is simple. First, eat all coin. If fake coin heavy, goes through system first. Is first of 12 poops. If coin is of being puny and weak like American Green Beret, coin comes out after other poops. Pick up coin and give to tsar, get freedom. Is real simple guys.

    • @Marscael24
      @Marscael24 7 лет назад +1

      Peace of Pi tsar Bomb??

    • @Joe-ij6jt
      @Joe-ij6jt 7 лет назад

      Peace of Pi I guess that could work haha

    • @lilliputauthorandtoiletris1954
      @lilliputauthorandtoiletris1954 7 лет назад +4

      Peace of Pi What if die of diarrhea, comrade?

    • @thri1146
      @thri1146 7 лет назад +3

      Peace of Pi, thanks comrade, for making my day!

    • @Ethan-io7fh
      @Ethan-io7fh 7 лет назад +1

      Peace of Pi I'm Guessing You Either Used Google Translate, Or Are Not Too Good At English

  • @janng286
    @janng286 10 месяцев назад +4

    or you could split them into 2 stacks with 6 coins each. the heavier or lighter side contains the imposter coin. (assuming it shows up heavier, meaning the imposter coin is heavier -- this will work if it appears lighter as well) do this again with the side with the imposter coin weighing 3 coins against the other 3. again, the heavier side contains the imposter coin. now you are left with 3 coins and you can just weigh any random 2. the trend of the heavier side being the imposter coin should continue, so if the 2 coins you picked contains the imposter, it will show up on the heavier side of the scale. if both are balanced, the last unweighed coin is the imposter coin.

    • @susorzo4342
      @susorzo4342 9 месяцев назад +1

      this solution only works if you know it's lighter or heavier beforehand, which you don't

  • @numberjuan5837
    @numberjuan5837 6 лет назад +396

    If they already have a scale and the 12 coins .. why did they need a mathematician?

    • @Zarrocification
      @Zarrocification 6 лет назад +84

      because the king is not a patient man :D
      and apparently bringing you up from the prison took less time when simply weighing all of the coins

    • @user-zw8wq9zi9t
      @user-zw8wq9zi9t 6 лет назад +5

      The mathematician realised the scale could be used to detect a counterfeit

    • @rodrigomoreno9388
      @rodrigomoreno9388 6 лет назад +12

      @@Zarrocification also apparently it takes less time to wait for the mathematician to get out of the dungeon, be given orders with several parameters, give him time to think of this whole strategy and also to wait for him to start stacking and re stacking and marking every single coin.
      Yes that should take less time than just weighing them right there.

    • @kiritsolankii6423
      @kiritsolankii6423 6 лет назад +6

      Why is internet full of people who can't get sarcasm 😂 this guy above me

    • @duckymomo7935
      @duckymomo7935 5 лет назад +1

      The concept of scales wasn’t known to commoners or kings and knights.

  • @atlasevilyc
    @atlasevilyc 4 года назад +442

    Here’s another way to solve this:
    1. Check if you have green eyes
    2. Ask the counterfeit coin to leave

    • @healy_ly
      @healy_ly 4 года назад +1

      @@mohammadazad8350 This solution doesn't guarantee that you can do it in only 3 scales. Only if you're lucky

    • @mohammadazad8350
      @mohammadazad8350 4 года назад +1

      @@healy_ly removing coins does not count as weighing them

    • @healy_ly
      @healy_ly 4 года назад

      Mohammad King oh

    • @mohammadazad8350
      @mohammadazad8350 4 года назад +1

      @@healy_ly you can even do it in reverse order by simply placing one coin on each side at a time (you can say that you want to place them all but they are precious so you place them one by one) and once they become unbalanced stop and weigh the last pair with any other coin and...

    • @Genastor
      @Genastor 3 года назад +6

      Can't you weight 6 and 6, then divide the lighter 6 into 3 and 3, weight those, and then from the lighter 3 weight 1 and 1, leaving one out, so either you see one of the coins on the scale being fake, or the one you put aside

  • @tobblesmash6193
    @tobblesmash6193 5 лет назад +136

    “Did you just deface my currency? No prison for you you’re going straight to the electric chair”

    • @mithmoonwalker
      @mithmoonwalker 4 года назад +1

      but its medieveal tomes

    • @tobblesmash6193
      @tobblesmash6193 4 года назад +7

      deluxe sure then he'll just drop you in the moat infested with crocodiles

    • @MAA-kw4ez
      @MAA-kw4ez 4 года назад +3

      What if... that marker has erasable ink Lol

    • @jmjrulz9482
      @jmjrulz9482 4 года назад +2

      @@mithmoonwalker If the mathematician has a marker, the electric chair has already been invented.

  • @TheDreamLeaf
    @TheDreamLeaf 3 года назад +13

    “Youre the realm’s greatest mathematician.”
    Or the emperor could get any random sod to weigh the coins. Or weigh it himself lol

  • @a.t.t.123alanis2
    @a.t.t.123alanis2 4 года назад +546

    The real question is:
    How did they know he was the one who used the counterfeit

    • @AzkaChannelcom
      @AzkaChannelcom 4 года назад +4

      Xavier Phillips exactly lmao

    • @silvermistneoncloud845
      @silvermistneoncloud845 4 года назад +15

      Well your in jail, not knowing what's going on outside.

    • @kuldipprashar9499
      @kuldipprashar9499 4 года назад +3

      @FIRETEAM 2121 I know what you did there.

    • @justa_randomfailure6250
      @justa_randomfailure6250 4 года назад +2

      The king check all the coins before hand but then the guy just grabbed it and threw it in with the other coins s9 he could possibly keep going

    • @archtansterpg4246
      @archtansterpg4246 4 года назад

      Whistleblowers.

  • @madison9226
    @madison9226 7 лет назад +280

    if the emperor doesn't know which coin it is either, couldn't you just give him any coin then write down anything that looks strategical.?

    • @arpitnayak
      @arpitnayak 7 лет назад +41

      Madisøn the Tøp! Crybaby You should be the realm's greatest mathematician.

    • @tariqsamaien6215
      @tariqsamaien6215 7 лет назад +7

      Madisøn the Tøp! Crybaby he showed us him showing the emporer his work so i guess you need to work it out and not all fat emperors are stupid you know :)

    • @alberteinstein2665
      @alberteinstein2665 7 лет назад

      Madisøn the Tøp! Crybaby Maybe the emperor has got some other mathematicians to check if it would actually work.

    • @ViliamVadocz
      @ViliamVadocz 7 лет назад +24

      give them some of the coins to keep their mouths shut xD

    • @peanutbutter369
      @peanutbutter369 7 лет назад +2

      you will be sending an innocent man to prison then... and letting a guilty one walk!

  • @boy638
    @boy638 7 лет назад +2769

    plot twist, the king lied and you are back in jail

    • @stagdragon3978
      @stagdragon3978 6 лет назад +112

      Now the next riddle is how to get through bars without being noticed.

    • @ResilientRyan88
      @ResilientRyan88 6 лет назад +97

      Plot plot twist.... You are the true King and the other one is a counterfeit. Now all you have is a marker and ....

    • @kalyanikataki9617
      @kalyanikataki9617 6 лет назад +54

      Plot Twist..your Mom wakes you up saying "Wake up get ready for school, you're not a king". All this was a dream

    • @stagdragon3978
      @stagdragon3978 6 лет назад +42

      Kalyani Kataki plot twist you never slept you have insomnia, you thought your mom was the king and you stole her jewlery to do the math. You're now grounded for halucinating.

    • @kalyanikataki9617
      @kalyanikataki9617 6 лет назад +21

      We should make a movie lol xD

  • @mason1775
    @mason1775 9 месяцев назад +2

    It was very neat to get this and its variations in my college's Data Structures and Algorithms course. We got this version, one where there were two counterfeits with the same heavier weight, one where there were two counterfeits with differing heavier weights, and one where there was one counterfeit lighter and one counterfeit equally heavier.

  • @Green-vf6ff
    @Green-vf6ff 5 лет назад +867

    Me in math class:
    Sir, uhm how come there is a marker in the story? clearly the setting is from the age wherein markers are not invented yet, or is it post apocalyptic or something?

    • @TheOmegaXicor
      @TheOmegaXicor 5 лет назад +122

      Teacher: that won't be on the test so you don't need to know

    • @wa994
      @wa994 4 года назад +23

      Okay Mr Smart Guy, Chalk Then.

    • @ywan
      @ywan 4 года назад +4

      100th like

    • @isaacmanalo2723
      @isaacmanalo2723 4 года назад +4

      Ariel Salaza it's modern monarchy

    • @christopherfitch5092
      @christopherfitch5092 4 года назад

      wow you're sooo cool and smart honestly I'm astonished by your intellect

  • @verifiedfangirl6107
    @verifiedfangirl6107 5 лет назад +889

    Why does the character who is supposed to be you look like a sock?

    • @kaytk1762
      @kaytk1762 5 лет назад +32

      You are a sock puppet

    • @aaronthegold
      @aaronthegold 5 лет назад +61

      Bold of you to assume that I don't look like a sock.

    • @arthorization
      @arthorization 5 лет назад +4

      He looks more like a muppet with the beard if he is drawn

    • @tinknal6449
      @tinknal6449 4 года назад

      Clearly the best reply.

    • @F1GHTS0NG
      @F1GHTS0NG 4 года назад

      lolololololol

  • @user-wm2mx5iv4d
    @user-wm2mx5iv4d 7 лет назад +597

    How does the marker still have its ink through that whole Time he was in jail?

    • @potatotomato7750
      @potatotomato7750 7 лет назад

      mohammed sachit hello

    • @EnderPig
      @EnderPig 7 лет назад +15

      something called Magic

    • @Chicken_o7
      @Chicken_o7 7 лет назад +26

      It's a good marker :)

    • @Tyler-lx2df
      @Tyler-lx2df 7 лет назад +7

      Just mark it and close the cap and yeah. Markers can last for at least th ree months if you put the cap on and use it every ten seconds

    • @lilxc_vxlley
      @lilxc_vxlley 6 лет назад +2

      mohammed sachit he got more

  • @shreyasvaranasi7629
    @shreyasvaranasi7629 3 года назад +9

    The funny thing is that it would take less time to weigh all of the coins in equal piles until you found the one than it would if you marked all of them as you went

  • @LucasPossatti
    @LucasPossatti 4 года назад +65

    "Can you solve the counterfeit coin riddle?"
    Me: "Well... Back to the dungeon..."

  • @kiapor99
    @kiapor99 6 лет назад +1219

    all this is nice, but in the end the kingdom is still being ruled by an avaricious dictator who over-taxes his subjects and sends people to jail just for criticizing him.
    you may have solved this puzzle, but the true puzzle still awaits its solution.

    • @bryllecruz8197
      @bryllecruz8197 6 лет назад +6

      Isaac Mendez thats just society

    • @tanveerhannan3585
      @tanveerhannan3585 6 лет назад +21

      Isaac Mendez establish a communist society

    • @PixelBoyMiner
      @PixelBoyMiner 6 лет назад +6

      Deep bro

    • @michaelkeha
      @michaelkeha 6 лет назад +8

      Isaac Mendez establish a democratic captalist society based on personal freedoms.

    • @rkidy
      @rkidy 6 лет назад

      The final solution?

  • @sokolgaming7597
    @sokolgaming7597 7 лет назад +250

    Could you also do this. 6:6, take the 6 that sre lighter, split into 3:3, take the 3 that are lighter, 1:1 and see if one is lighter, if not, the spare is fake.

    • @musicfan-uy1ty
      @musicfan-uy1ty 7 лет назад +11

      Sokol Gaming this is what I thought. seems to be the easiest, quickest way

    • @stanbarne5920
      @stanbarne5920 7 лет назад +35

      Sokol Gaming if the 3:3 weigh the same it means that the counterfeit coin is heavier, leaving you with 6 coins from the first weighing to distinguish between in the third and final weighing which is pretty near impossible

    • @unboxingtech2000
      @unboxingtech2000 7 лет назад +4

      Sokol Gaming Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

    • @anthonydekerckheer6533
      @anthonydekerckheer6533 7 лет назад +93

      would work only if the fake was lighter! Here we don't know if it's lighter or heavier....

    • @ninaparvin1905
      @ninaparvin1905 7 лет назад +1

      Sokol Gaming I was thinking the same

  • @abdelrahmannour3450
    @abdelrahmannour3450 2 года назад +1

    I have a different solution that is way easier to understand.
    1) weight 3 coins against 3 coins
    - if they balance, you know the fake was in the other unweighted 6 coins
    - if they don't balance, you know the fake is one of the 6 that were weighed
    either way, you have 6 suspects, and 6 guaranteed innocent coins
    2) weight 3 suspects against 3 innocent
    - if suspects are heavier, you know the fake is one of those 3 and the fake is heavier
    - if suspects are lighter, you know the fake is one of those 3 and the fake is lighter.
    - if they balance, you know the fake is one of the remaining 3
    you now have 3 suspects, and you know that the fake is either heavier or lighter than other coins (unless they balanced in both previous steps, so you don't know if it's lighter or heavier)
    3) weight 2 of the 3 remaining suspects against each others
    - if they balance, the remaining coin is the fake one
    - if they don't balance, and you know if the fake is heavier or lighter, then you found the fake.
    - if they don't balance, and you don't know if the fake is heavier or lighter, tell the king GGs, and close the prison door on your way back in.

    • @docklokman6054
      @docklokman6054 2 года назад

      Lol, I had started down the same path and as I read your comment I was excited to see how you figured out the last scenario of three coins where all others balanced.

  • @elizabethmartin3831
    @elizabethmartin3831 4 года назад +75

    I actually found a different, functional solution to this riddle! This only works if you know whether the counterfeit is heavier or lighter so take this with a grain of salt. The example has the counterfeit coin being heavier:
    Make two piles of six and put them on the scale. Whichever side is heavier, take the coins from the other side and put them away, you don't need them after this. Then make the pile that is still on the scale and divide it into two, and put it on the scale. Whichever side is heavier, keep it. The others are cast aside. The side that is heavier has one taken from it and marked with a plus. The. The two left on the scale are weighed. If the scale is a balance, it's the coin marked with a plus. If the scale is imbalanced, the counterfeit is the heavier coin.
    May not work perfectly if you don't know whether the counterfeit is lighter or not but that's my take on it. Have a good day!

    • @natedavis5545
      @natedavis5545 3 года назад +11

      this is the solution I came up with as well, I think it works and is better

    • @tdiaz5555
      @tdiaz5555 3 года назад +4

      @@natedavis5545 I wouldn't call it better, it is a solution for a simpler version of the riddle. Which is nonetheless still pretty cool.

    • @teeganschuler9139
      @teeganschuler9139 3 года назад +1

      I thought that the counterfeit could be lighter too?

    • @shashankchagalamarri3361
      @shashankchagalamarri3361 3 года назад +1

      The video does not say the counterfeit coin is heavier... It showed all the possible scenarios.

    • @evek5019
      @evek5019 3 года назад +2

      Teegan Schuler come on they said take with a grain of salt

  • @shadymaze4031
    @shadymaze4031 7 лет назад +74

    70% of the comments are geniuses with "aww this is easy, just divide the coins into 2 piles of 6s...." and another 20% even more geniuses that even after watching the soution they're like "there's even more simple way, just divide the coins into two piles...."

    • @Marscael24
      @Marscael24 7 лет назад

      Shady Maze ginuses?? what

    • @shadymaze4031
      @shadymaze4031 7 лет назад +1

      u are either exceptionally dumb or blind... my guess is u're a mixture of the two

    • @Marscael24
      @Marscael24 7 лет назад

      Shady Maze lol wrong coment I replied to so sorry haha

    • @makkxim2789
      @makkxim2789 7 лет назад +2

      I understood the solution right after he explained.So I think I am genius 😂😂

  • @roseinabottle
    @roseinabottle 7 лет назад +183

    I'm sure the impatient king wouldn't mind waiting 20 minutes for you to think up a strategy

  • @moodswingmona7520
    @moodswingmona7520 2 года назад +8

    I loved this one! My approach didn't really work, but the solution makes perfect sense! 😁👍🏻

  • @cachotognax3600
    @cachotognax3600 7 лет назад +116

    how the hell did the king linked the coin with the impostor?

    • @kalebbruwer
      @kalebbruwer 7 лет назад +20

      Roberto De Gasperi Now you are asking the real question

    • @crying_hippy
      @crying_hippy 7 лет назад +7

      The king offered a reward and The Swordsman Apprentice ratted him out, it was the sword maker all along and they found the little Tool & Die coin molds used for making them :-) so quit asking questions or you'll be next!

    • @jakubpekarek6400
      @jakubpekarek6400 7 лет назад +12

      There were only 12 coins in the treasury, obviously ...

    • @fabricekabongo
      @fabricekabongo 7 лет назад +8

      Quite a broke kingdom...

    • @DawnfireGalinndan
      @DawnfireGalinndan 7 лет назад +13

      Moreover, he paid taxes with only ONE counterfeit coin. If you're gonna go counterfeit, go big or go home.

  • @MarioMaras
    @MarioMaras 5 лет назад +104

    Simpler solution if 4-4 stacks are balanced
    1. From 3rd stack take 2 coins, if they balance, fake one is in the rest of 2 coins
    2. Take one of them, balance it with one of those two which are already balanced
    3. If they balance, the last one is fake one, if don't, the one you took is fake
    And vice versa if they are unbalanced in 1st step

    • @Suuupi1
      @Suuupi1 5 лет назад +12

      The first balnce solution is really easier.
      But the problem with the first imblanace is, that you dont know which of the 4 coins stack has the fake coin. There are 8 possible fake coins, if the first ist imbalance, while there are only 4 if it was balance. So the "And vice versa if they are unbalanced in 1st step" woulndt work.

  • @david0livshin
    @david0livshin 7 лет назад +92

    Can we clear this up. THE COIN CAN BE HEAVIER OR LIGHTER. YOU DONT KNOW WHICH!!! 6 v 6 for your first weighing WILL NOT WORK. One side goes up, the other down, you still have no idea where the fake coin is. Maybe it is lighter causing its side to rise!!! or maybe it is heavier causing its side to dip. YOU DONT KNOW!!!!

    • @iqbaltrojan
      @iqbaltrojan 7 лет назад +1

      first

    • @anthonysmith3124
      @anthonysmith3124 7 лет назад

      Someone didn't watch the whole video... it explains what you would do starting at 2:34

    • @david0livshin
      @david0livshin 7 лет назад

      Anthony Smith I was commenting for all those that think 6 v 6 is a correct solution. I obviously agree with the given answer. I thought that was pretty obvious from my comment...

    • @Agent5365
      @Agent5365 7 лет назад +1

      Dont weigh 6 and 6. put one 6 aside and weigh the other 6, 3 by 3. This will tell you which pile is the counterfit in. but its not at this point you will realise if the counterfit is heavier or lighter

  • @Collacanac3
    @Collacanac3 3 года назад +6

    "The emperor is not a patient man."
    Mathematician proceeds to take the time- wise lengthy route to come up with an algorithm to weigh 12 coins using a scale 3x rather than weighing each one

  • @TheMonsterOfTheDeep
    @TheMonsterOfTheDeep 7 лет назад +189

    So the King is impatient when it comes to how many times I have to weigh the coins, but not the the million hours I'll be having to figure how to do it with only three trails!

    • @thecutecat22
      @thecutecat22 7 лет назад +4

      Superb comment Bro..

    • @SnowFaceChamcham
      @SnowFaceChamcham 7 лет назад +11

      the trick is, in this situation, it wouldn't take that long. since you are the best mathematician in all the land, it would be very quick. it's still kind of flawed but it's just for the sake of the math.

    • @dintill6478
      @dintill6478 7 лет назад +15

      but it will still take you longer because you have to write on every damn coin

    • @berkleyhuffman48
      @berkleyhuffman48 7 лет назад

      Al Seraidy Mohammed Took me 2 minutes.

  • @ThanksIhateyoutoo
    @ThanksIhateyoutoo 7 лет назад +208

    I would just bite them until one did not bend in my mouth. That one is not gold.

    • @ThanksIhateyoutoo
      @ThanksIhateyoutoo 7 лет назад +3

      Preston Jackson then I'm pretty sure it would not bend like gold, and would be weighted differently.

    • @DrWh1teCat
      @DrWh1teCat 7 лет назад +5

      I think he may have meant, but what if the coins aren't supposed to be made of gold anyway?

    • @ThanksIhateyoutoo
      @ThanksIhateyoutoo 7 лет назад

      nja122890 then they are worthless anyway so what does it matter?

    • @SendarSlayer
      @SendarSlayer 7 лет назад +27

      Worthless like the pieces of paper which promise goods and services to other people that nearly all civilizations use now?
      So in other words, money.

    • @hannahcerezo6005
      @hannahcerezo6005 7 лет назад +3

      But taking into consideration that the emperor is a very big bag of trash, he probably wouldn't allow his coins to be bent.

  • @justrandom5710
    @justrandom5710 7 лет назад +290

    I didn't understand anything but I watched to the end

  • @miriamgiacopinelli3119
    @miriamgiacopinelli3119 3 года назад +17

    It's 4 am, this is the fifth riddle I try to solve in a row. At this point I listen to words but my brain can't translate them into actual useful information 😂 goodnight

  • @elisekruger1653
    @elisekruger1653 7 лет назад +19

    The solution is easy pick a coin, look at it, give it to the king. And then go nuts with the marker. Finally have a party with cake to celebrate.

  • @cupcake-6.8.1
    @cupcake-6.8.1 7 лет назад +663

    Wow the solution for this was made very complicated.

    • @jayoodyang747
      @jayoodyang747 7 лет назад +14

      THE 681 agreed. even though u have 3 chances to use the scales the answer provided took like 2345 extra steps

    • @kingzon5652
      @kingzon5652 7 лет назад +1

      THE 681 I've watched 16 and this is the only one I got☹️

    • @Gubuyguy
      @Gubuyguy 7 лет назад +53

      just do 6 by 6 take lighter do 3 by 3 take lighter do 1 by 1 if they are same then third is fake if its off the lighter is fake

    • @whiteradish1539
      @whiteradish1539 7 лет назад +54

      Gubuyguy you dont know which if the fake is lighter or heavier

    • @Stratelier
      @Stratelier 7 лет назад +11

      +broken doll, but not on the first weighing. The first weighing only tells you whether the coins used are the same weight (i.e. all genuine) or not (i.e. the fake is on the lighter OR heavier end of the scale). In either case, the first weighing will yield at least one pile known to NOT include the fake coin, and you can use this as a reference to determine whether the fake is lighter or heavier. The marker is used simply to keep track of whether each coin is *known* to be genuine, or is *possibly* counterfeit (and knowing whether it was on the lighter or heavier end can be used to identify the fake *later,* as any non-fake coins will always balance the scale).

  • @qwertyyuiop1484
    @qwertyyuiop1484 3 года назад +53

    Emperor ask me to to solve the problem,
    Me- Asks the emperor if i can see a 4 minute video on TED-ED.

    • @alexcruiser5277
      @alexcruiser5277 3 года назад

      Emperor will wipe out your Ted ed if you ask this question.

    • @mathguy37
      @mathguy37 2 года назад

      recursion go brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  • @silentgamer112
    @silentgamer112 Год назад +2

    I can find the counterfeit in 2 measures with some trickery.
    First weigh: divide in halves 6:6
    Then I will remove 1 coin on each side of the scale as if I was just resetting the scale 😆.
    Then if the scale balance once I remove a pair of coins, then it means one of them is the counterfeit.
    Then I weigh 1 of the possible counterfeit with one of the eliminated ones and if balance, the other coin of the pair is the counterfeit and if not then it is the counterfeit.
    I know it is not a logical solution.

  • @StephenRoseDuo
    @StephenRoseDuo 7 лет назад +109

    I made the mistake of assuming the counterfeit coin was lighter :'(

    • @timothyhuff6007
      @timothyhuff6007 7 лет назад +13

      Stephen Rose same. I felt all good and proud until I realized my mistake

    • @clairej.d5416
      @clairej.d5416 7 лет назад +1

      Stephen Rose lololololololololololololol oh shit m8

    • @snipperjoey1151
      @snipperjoey1151 7 лет назад +9

      Stephen Rose Never assume someone's weight.

  • @dusty_sniper4429
    @dusty_sniper4429 6 лет назад +378

    Just hand him any of the coins

  • @kevincheng1666
    @kevincheng1666 7 лет назад +843

    If the king's so rich, why does he care about one coin

    • @Nick-lc8if
      @Nick-lc8if 7 лет назад +131

      because if someone else finds out HE payed with a fake, HE would be called out and framed

    • @DonniesBoStaff
      @DonniesBoStaff 7 лет назад +45

      KEVIN cheng Maybe the coins are worth £400 each

    • @sjakierulez
      @sjakierulez 7 лет назад +94

      Caring about every single coin is what made him rich

    • @jonathanp9438
      @jonathanp9438 7 лет назад +56

      It's not the amount, it's the offense

    • @TheTransforcer
      @TheTransforcer 7 лет назад +17

      KEVIN cheng because the lord HAD BEEN paying his taxes with fake coins, meaning1/12 oh the kings revenue is phony and useless until the perpetrator is rooted out.

  • @paul7944
    @paul7944 2 месяца назад +1

    A much more elegant (and somewhat easy solution):
    1) Divide pile into four groups with 3 coins each
    2) take any two piles and weigh them:
    a) If the two piles weigh equal, this means the fake coin is in the remaining two piles
    b) else the fake coin is in one of the two piles you just weighed
    For case b)
    # mark the lighter pile "-" and heavier pile coin with "+".
    # weigh the "+" pile against any unused pile of 3 coins.
    # If these two are equal, then the fake coin is in the "-" pile of three coins else it's in the "+" pile
    # since we're now only left with a faulty pile of 3 coins, take one coin each from faulty pile and weigh both against each other
    # if they're equal, the remaining coin from faulty pile is the faulty one
    # else the heavier one with "+" sign is the fake.

  • @sengaijay4177
    @sengaijay4177 7 лет назад +671

    am i the only one like to hear the solutions than solving them

  • @mella1381
    @mella1381 3 года назад +87

    Me: ignoring the riddle
    "How has my marker not run out?"

  • @stefanetienney2666
    @stefanetienney2666 5 лет назад +53

    « What are you doing, drawing on my tax money with a marker?! BACK IN JAIL »

  • @cannonsmith-lc7ee
    @cannonsmith-lc7ee 8 месяцев назад +3

    I think mine would've worked too.
    Weigh 2 equal amounts of coins.
    Mark the coins in the coin pile that weighs less or more.
    Now, weigh the marked ones in 2 equal groups.
    Mark the coins in the coin pile that weighs less or more (again).
    Now, weigh 1 marked twice coin and 1 other marked twice coin separately.
    If their weights are both equal, take the leftover coin not on the scale.
    Otherwise, take the coin that weighs less or more on the scale.

    • @dustinluke4227
      @dustinluke4227 6 месяцев назад

      EXACTLY! That's the solution I came up with also. So much easier than this over complicated answer in the video.

    • @neelemgoyalgupta7284
      @neelemgoyalgupta7284 6 месяцев назад

      When you measure two piles of 6 , one will be heavier and other one will be lighter . it's not an either or situation . If one thing is heavier the other is lighter .

  • @cristianbajoras6597
    @cristianbajoras6597 7 лет назад +632

    how did they know it was a false coin in the first place then!!!?

  • @hannahmcclendon5359
    @hannahmcclendon5359 7 лет назад +10

    How to solve it logically: "you want this done? Let me weigh all 12 coins."

  • @ghostwizard7597
    @ghostwizard7597 5 лет назад +36

    You: "but the king is not a patient man"
    Me: *thinks for 5 minutes and is thrown on the jail without even trying*

  • @joe_z
    @joe_z 20 дней назад +1

    Usually this riddle doesn't just ask you to find the fake coin, but also to determine whether it's lighter or heavier.
    2:03 You still have one more weighing left after this case, and you should use that weighing to compare it to any of the eleven genuine coins. In every other case you've already marked the coin with a - or a +, so you also know.

    • @joe_z
      @joe_z 16 дней назад

      This last case can even accommodate a case where _none_ of the coins are fake - if the last coin balances with another coin.