Below is a set of 20 advanced “Weight or Balance” puzzles designed to challenge students at a higher level. These puzzles involve more complex comparisons and deductions, requiring more logical thinking and careful analysis.
Sample Example for Understanding
Example:
You have five boxes: A, B, C, D, and E. Box A is heavier than Box B and Box C but lighter than Box D. Box E is lighter than Box C.
- Question: Which is the heaviest box?
Answer:
Box D is the heaviest.
Advanced Weight or Balance Puzzles: 20 Verbal Reasoning Questions
Question 1:
There are five bags: A, B, C, D, and E. Bag A is heavier than Bag C and Bag D, but lighter than Bag B. Bag E is lighter than Bag D.
- Question: Which bag is the heaviest?
Question 2:
Six weights are labelled P, Q, R, S, T, and U. P is heavier than Q but lighter than S. T is lighter than S but heavier than P. U is heavier than Q but lighter than R.
- Question: Which weight is the second heaviest?
Question 3:
There are five crates: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, and White. The Red crate is heavier than the Green crate but lighter than the Blue crate. The Yellow crate is lighter than the Green crate. The White crate is heavier than the Blue crate.
- Question: Which crate is the second lightest?
Question 4:
Four people—Tom, Lucy, Jack, and Sarah—are each carrying a different load. Tom’s load is lighter than Jack’s but heavier than Lucy’s. Sarah’s load is lighter than Tom’s but heavier than Lucy’s.
- Question: Who carries the heaviest load?
Question 5:
You have four stones: S1, S2, S3, and S4. S1 is heavier than S2 but lighter than S3. S4 is heavier than S2 but lighter than S1.
- Question: Which stone is the second heaviest?
Question 6:
There are five animals: a lion, a tiger, a bear, an elephant, and a giraffe. The lion is heavier than the bear but lighter than the elephant. The giraffe is lighter than the lion but heavier than the tiger. The bear is heavier than the tiger.
- Question: Which animal is the second lightest?
Question 7:
Five different books are compared: A, B, C, D, and E. Book A is heavier than Book C but lighter than Book D. Book E is lighter than Book B. Book B is heavier than Book D.
- Question: Which book is the heaviest?
Question 8:
You have four bags of potatoes: P1, P2, P3, and P4. P1 is heavier than P2 but lighter than P4. P3 is lighter than P1 but heavier than P2.
- Question: Which bag is the lightest?
Question 9:
Five people—Anna, Ben, Chris, David, and Eva—are standing on a weighing scale. Anna is lighter than Ben but heavier than David. Chris is heavier than Ben but lighter than Eva.
- Question: Who is the heaviest?
Question 10:
Three suitcases—X, Y, and Z—are compared. Suitcase X weighs more than Suitcase Y but less than Suitcase Z. Suitcase Y weighs more than half of Suitcase Z’s weight.
- Question: Which suitcase is the lightest?
Question 11:
There are six balls: A, B, C, D, E, and F. Ball A is heavier than Ball B but lighter than Ball C. Ball D is heavier than Ball C but lighter than Ball E. Ball F is the heaviest of all.
- Question: Which ball is the second heaviest?
Question 12:
You have five barrels: X, Y, Z, W, and V. Barrel X is lighter than Barrel Y but heavier than Barrel W. Barrel Z is lighter than Barrel V but heavier than Barrel X. Barrel W is the lightest of all.
- Question: Which barrel is the second lightest?
Question 13:
Six boxes: A, B, C, D, E, and F. Box A is lighter than Box D but heavier than Box B. Box E is lighter than Box C but heavier than Box B. Box F is the heaviest of all.
- Question: Which box is the second heaviest?
Question 14:
Three fruits: an apple, an orange, and a pear. The apple is heavier than the pear but lighter than the orange. The orange weighs more than twice the pear.
- Question: Which fruit is the lightest?
Question 15:
You have five rocks: R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5. R1 is heavier than R3 but lighter than R2. R4 is heavier than R2 but lighter than R5. R5 is heavier than all.
- Question: Which rock is the third heaviest?
Question 16:
Four students—Emily, Liam, Olivia, and Jack—are compared by their backpacks’ weights. Olivia’s backpack is lighter than Liam’s but heavier than Emily’s. Jack’s backpack is the heaviest of all.
- Question: Who carries the second lightest backpack?
Question 17:
Five people—Harry, Lucy, Emma, Tom, and Mia—each hold a different set of books. Harry’s set is heavier than Mia’s but lighter than Lucy’s. Tom’s set is heavier than Lucy’s. Emma’s set is lighter than Mia’s.
- Question: Who holds the lightest set of books?
Question 18:
There are six cans: A, B, C, D, E, and F. Can C is heavier than Can D but lighter than Can E. Can B is heavier than Can A but lighter than Can F. Can F is heavier than all of them.
- Question: Which can is the second heaviest?
Question 19:
Five crates—Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, and White—are compared. The Red crate is lighter than the Blue crate but heavier than the Green crate. The White crate is lighter than the Green crate. The Yellow crate is the heaviest.
- Question: Which crate is the second heaviest?
Question 20:
You have four bicycles: B1, B2, B3, and B4. B1 is heavier than B2 but lighter than B4. B3 is heavier than B2 but lighter than B1.
- Question: Which bicycle is the heaviest?
Answers:
Answer 1:
Bag B is the heaviest.
Answer 2:
T is the second heaviest.
Answer 3:
The Yellow crate is the second lightest.
Answer 4:
Jack carries the heaviest load.
Answer 5:
S1 is the second heaviest.
Answer 6:
The giraffe is the second lightest.
Answer 7:
Book B is the heaviest.
Answer 8:
P2 is the lightest.
Answer 9:
Eva is the heaviest.
Answer 10:
Suitcase Y is the lightest.
Answer 11:
Ball E is the second heaviest.
Answer 12:
Barrel X is the second lightest.
Answer 13:
Box D is the second heaviest.
Answer 14:
The pear is the lightest.
Answer 15:
R1 is the third heaviest.
Answer 16:
Olivia carries the second lightest backpack.
Answer 17:
Emma holds the lightest set of books.
Answer 18:
Can E is the second heaviest.
Answer 19:
The Blue crate is the second heaviest.
Answer 20:
B4 is the heaviest.
These advanced “Weight or Balance” puzzles require more complex reasoning and deeper analysis of the relationships between the items being compared. These puzzles will help students sharpen their deductive reasoning skills, preparing them well for more challenging 11+ assessments.
