In the meantime, try solving this puzzle problem, which was one of many I had thrown at me on Monday...
Suppose you have a balance scale with which you wish to measure the weights of objects to an accuracy of one ounce. You are allowed to use only four known weights, the masses of which are your choosing. You are also allowed to place the known weights on either side of the balance. So, for example, you may have two of the known weights in one pan, and another known weight sitting in the other pan with the object of unknown weight. What weights should you select to maximize the range of weights you can measure?
