2009/9/8 Aadisht Khanna <[email protected]> > On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 9:52 AM, Kiran K Karthikeyan < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > There are 12 steel (or any other material, the material is immaterial :) > ) > > balls (yes, I make it cubes when interviewing women) which were > > manufactured > > to be identical in every way and hence indistinguishable. However, one of > > them has a manufacturing defect and has either less or more weight that > the > > other 11. Given a weighing scale (with no standard weights), you have to > > find out which of the balls is defective as well as whether it weighs > > lesser > > or more than the others. > > > > It's a trick question. If the balls are indistinguishable, there is no way > to sort them out unless you place distinguishing marksor keep them in > distinguished containers - which would violate the starting conditions. >
Well you could always place them and remember where you did and hence distinguish them. Just like you would put milk which was bought earlier seperately in the fridge so that its used up first. But I agree it is a trick question in a way since it doesn't have a solution. > > If an airline is thinking of extending an offer where those with miles can > > for a limited period book for twice the amount of miles they have in > their > > account, what is the best time to do so (considering occupancy rates, > > costs, > > any other variable which might influence the decision). > > > > Is this also a trick question? How do you book with more miles than you > have, unless the airline is advancing miles on credit? Smells like a > bubble. > Nope BA did it last year (I am a member of their frequent flyer club). They do it to make customer use up their miles which essentially entitle them to free tickets. Kiran
