Hello everyone, and welcome back to another fun brain teaser.
Today, we have a delightful little math puzzle that looks very simple at first glance.
Do not let its friendly appearance fool you, though.
Sometimes, the simplest-looking puzzles are the most satisfying ones to solve.
Let us take a look at the picture on the screen right now.
As you can see, we have 2 balance scales with some delicious fresh fruit placed on top of them.
On the left side, we have a scale carrying 1 red apple and 1 yellow banana.
Together, the apple and the banana weigh 51 units.
Now, let us shift our attention to the right side of the image.
On this second scale, we have 2 red apples and 1 yellow banana.
When these 3 fruits are weighed together, the display shows 87 units.
Our main mission today is very straightforward.
We need to figure out the exact weight of just 1 single apple.
Can you calculate the correct number in your head before we go through the solution together?
Take a deep breath, grab a pencil if you need 1, and give yourself a few moments to think.
Have you figured out the answer yet?
If you need a little more time, feel free to pause and think for a bit.
When you are ready, let us walk through the step-by-step logic together to find the solution.
Solving a puzzle like this is all about comparing what changes from 1 picture to the next.
Let us look closely at the 1st scale again.
The 1st scale shows 1 apple plus 1 banana equal to 51.
Now, let us look at the 2nd scale right next to it.
The 2nd scale shows 2 apples plus 1 banana equal to 87.
Do you notice what changed between the left picture and the right picture?
In both pictures, we always have exactly 1 yellow banana.
However, on the 2nd scale, there is 1 extra red apple.
That extra apple is the only difference between the items on the 2 scales.
Because of that extra apple, the total weight on the display went up.
It increased from 51 units all the way to 87 units.
This means that the increase in weight belongs entirely to that single extra apple.
Isn’t that a neat and simple way to look at it?
So, how do we find the weight of that extra apple?
All we need to do is subtract the total weight of the 1st scale from the total weight of the 2nd scale.
Let us do the simple subtraction together.
87 minus 51 equals 36.
That is all there is to it.
The weight of 1 apple is exactly 36 units.
Let us double-check our work just to be completely certain of our answer.
If 1 apple weighs 36 units, we can easily find the weight of the banana.
Using the 1st scale, 51 minus 36 equals 15.
So, 1 banana must weigh 15 units.
Now, let us test these values on the 2nd scale to see if everything adds up.
2 apples weigh 36 plus 36, which equals 72.
Add the banana’s weight of 15 to 72, and we get 87.
The numbers match perfectly on both scales.
Our solution is mathematically sound and 100% correct.
The final answer is 36.
Thank you so much for solving today’s puzzle with me.
You did a fantastic job exercising your brain today.
Keep practicing, stay curious, and keep enjoying these fun everyday riddles.
