Can you solve the counterfeit coin riddle? - Jennifer Lu

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.

[GeometryDash]

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

[Anonymous]

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

[resliward]

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

[Frimpa-MJEB]

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

[ryancallsin]

“Youre the realm’s greatest mathematician.”

Ok, youve already lost me.

[mysticmushroom_]

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

[hulohyou]

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

[NiftyNesty]

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.

[rockstarrist-]

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.

[dougmcfarlane]

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!

[Tunade]

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

[izzyb_ella_m]

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

[annacollins]

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

[KarlMalowned]

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

[Abelhawk]

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

[sciphyskyguy]

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…

[mastertrey]

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.

[briidanielle_]

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

they know our ways.

[luxandhonor]

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

[cuchelo]

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.