MathDB
min m to find heaviest and light lamp in a set of 256, comparing 2 each time

Source: 9th QEDMO p8 Seniors (21-22. 9. 2011) https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c1512515_qedmo_200507

May 15, 2021
weightsalgorithms

Problem Statement

There are 256256 lumps of metal that have different weights in pairs. With the help of a beam balance , one may now compare every two lumps. Find the smallest number mm such that you can be sure to find the heaviest as well as the lightest lump with the weighing process.