Rick,
I think that you have changed the puzzle from finding the real gold to
finding the fool's gold, but the concept to the answer remains the same.
****CAUTION**** This reply contains the answer to the Fool's Gold coin
Puzzle. Therefore, if you'd like to ponder before reading the answer, save
this reply for later!
Let's say for the sake of keeping the answer simple that there are three
bags and of course only one is full of fool's gold. Again, to simplify,
we'll say the real gold coins are 4 oz. and thus the fools gold coins are 5
oz.
Label the bags 1, 2, & 3.
>From each bag take the number of coins that equals the number assigned to
the bag. i.e. 1 from bag 1, 2 from bag 2, etc.
When you place these 6 coins on the scale and get the printed card out, the
weight will give you your answer as follows. If the fool's gold is in:
Bag 1, the total weight will be 25 oz. - 1 @ 5 oz. + 2 @ 4 oz. + 3 @ 4 oz.
Bag 2, the total weight will be 26 oz. - 1 @ 4 oz. + 2 @ 5 oz. + 3 @ 4 oz.
Bag 3, the total weight will be 27 oz. - 1 @ 4 oz. + 2 @ 4 oz. + 3 @ 5 oz.
This of course works for any number of bags greater than one. You can still
figure this out if you don't actually know the weight of the coins except
that the fool's gold is one oz. heavier, it's just a more complicated
explanation that would probably bore the readers!
BTW, I must admit that I have seen this episode about three times, but
remember enjoying puzzling over this with varying numbers of bags.
The one I had more fun with was the nine rings. I had just finished
explaining the puzzle to a good friend when it dawned on me how to solve
it.
Bartz
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