Σημειον εστιν, ου μερος ουθεν

[the_g_man]

So I have been thinking about a couple of logic problems. Both are original as far as I know. I haven't worked out either of them at time of writing.

Beans in Boxes
I have six boxes of equal weight. The boxes contain beans of equal weight. A box weighs the same as a substantial number of beans. One box contains one bean, one contains two, one three

Comments

[mr_tom]

Beans in boxes sounds awfully like a sort algorithm.

[the_g_man]

Yes, ultimately it is, in that you're trying to define an order relationship on a set. But I'm not sure it's that helpful a way to think about the problem.

It was inspired by the 12 ball problem, which has a tendency to crop up in interviews round these parts, were anyone actually interviewing.