Latest TCS Aptitude Question SOLUTION: Platinum is sold in bars of various weights ranging from 13 gms to 593 gms, in 4 gram increments. Each bar is sealed in a opaque box weighing 47 gms. The box used for packaging has

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Platinum is sold in bars of various weights ranging from 13 gms to 593 gms, in 4 gram increments. Each bar is sealed in a opaque box weighing 47 gms. The box used for packaging has no markings on it indicating the weight of the bar inside.
The precious metals merchant selling the boxes has put the packed box into shelves based on the weight. However, to be certain, he weighs the packed box in an equal arms two pan balance, and a set of weights (which is common for all the box, and which he considers as standards weights) Each of these weighs an integral no.of grams and have their weight marked on them. The merchant, superstitious man always places the packet box of platinum in the left pan, and places the appropriate weights in the left pan or the right pan or both until the balance is achieved. This suffices to tell him the weight of the packed bar.
What is the minimum number of standard weights the merchant must have to be able to accurately determine the weight of the packed boxes.
option
a) 3
b) 8
c) 5
d) 6

Asked In TCS sahana (10 years ago)

Unsolved Read Solution (7)

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Read Solution (7) :

Ramakrishnan Ranganathan  (10 years ago)

Minimum required is 6
The weights are 4, 12, 36, 108, 324 and 156 gms.
With these weights any weighing between 60 and 640 gms can be done.

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Hariharan  (8 years ago)

13+47= 60

60 80 100 . . . . . . . .
64 84 104
68 88 108
72 92 112
76 96 116


The first weight represents shelf and that is the common weight.

the standard weights you need minimum are 4,8,8 in order to give other results.

hence the answer is minimum 3 for this question .

5 is the answer for the similar question with 17 gms to 1760 gms

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Ajit Singh  (10 years ago)

minimum no of weights rqd ==8
compulsory weights are 4, 8 ,12 , 16, 20, 120, 360 and 100.

Is this solution Helpfull? Yes (1) | No (13)  

vishal  (10 years ago)

u are wrong answer8

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Mohanraj  (8 years ago)

can anyone explain clearly :(

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karthikeyareddy  (8 years ago)

@hari haran can you explain how you took 4,8,8

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Nishant  (5 years ago)

correct me if i'm wrong, but wont just two weight be enough for weighing ?
one 60gm and another 4gm
all we have to do is measure the first and least weighing 60gm packet box. after finding that one, cant we just add 4gm to it on one pan, while keeping the unknown packet box on another, carry on this cycle untll they balance ?
example- 60gm weight = 60gm box
in iteration two, 60gm box + 4gm weight = next unknown 64gm box (which will be marked and later used after balance is achieved.) and use that 64gm box with 4gm weight to find 68gm box

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