Time for MATH MINUTE

Time for MATH MINUTE! (provide your favorite theme music here).

Get out your paper & pencil because I have a new puzzle for you!!

PUZZLE #13 Teeny the Genie Dec. 11 – Dec. 15

While digging out in the wastelands, Jeanie found an old oil lamp.

Thinking of the story of the Genie in the lamp, she rubbed it just

for fun and POOF! in a cloud of smoke out popped a small Genie.

Hi, he said, my name is Teeny, what can I do for you? You get the

usual three wishes.

Dazed she quickly came to her senses and said, I would like to find

the biggest diamond in the world!

No problem, he said, and POOF! nine nearly identical stones

appeared on the ground in front of her.

So where is the diamond? she said.

It is hidden in one of the stones, he smiled, all you have to do is find

it, but the other stones must stay here. Choose wisely, he cautioned.

How can I figure out which one has the diamond? she said as she

inspected the stones.

All but one of the stones weigh the same. The diamond is contained

in the stone which weighs a small amount more than the others, he said.

Gee I wish I had a way to weigh them, she muttered.

POOF! a balance scale appeared. That was wish number two! Teeny

said. By the way, he said, that balance scale is special and can only be

used once.

What? she cried, that means I will probably need another scale.

POOF! another balance scale appeared. Wish number three!

cried Teeny, I am outta here!

Oh, by the way, that second scale is like the first one, it only works

once too, he said, and then (you guessed it) POOF! he disappeared.

Great, sighed Jeanie, now what do I do?

Is it possible for Jeanie to figure out which stone has the priceless

diamond in it with only two weighings?

Please explain.

Send your comments, ideas and solutions before Monday Dec. 18 to this

and in the subject line be sure to put: * MM * .

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to see the results every Monday.

See you next time on MATH MINUTE! (theme music fades out here).