Question

Dear Mitch,

So now that the holiday is over, my students and I are curious to know if we correctly solved the Rosh Hashannah Mathematical balance question.

Without revealing what we believe is the answer, would you please tell us the solution you arrived at?

Thank You,

Abe B.

Answer

Dear Abe B.,

YES! Of course it would be my pleasure, and thank you for presenting this fun one to your students!

The ANSWER is this:  You would need 9 jars of honey on the right-hand side of SCALE C in order to balance that scale (SCALE C) as perfectly as SCALE A  and SCALE B are balanced.

If you and/or your class came up with a different solution, using only jars of honey as the question, of course, required, then either send that answer in and we can check it out or help you see how we arrived at the one and only answer that -- as far as we can tell -- actually solves this deceptively-simple-looking-but-tricky puzzle!

I wish you continued good fun and learning as the holiday season progresses, and I thank you for visiting our site -- we anticipate posting many more of this type of question than we originally envisioned, since the popularity for students of ALL ages has taken us by pleasant surprise! 

Hope this helps,

Mitch