Weight or balance puzzles are great tools for testing students’ logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities. They involve comparing weights, understanding balance conditions, and making deductions based on given information.
Below is a set of 20 “Weight or Balance” puzzles designed for Key Stage 3 students preparing for 11+ assessments.
Sample Example for Understanding
Example:
There are three objects: a, b, and c. Object a is heavier than object b but lighter than object c.
- Question: Which is the heaviest?
Answer:
Object c is the heaviest.
Weight or Balance Puzzles: 20 Verbal Reasoning Questions
Question 1:
You have three boxes: A, B, and C. Box A weighs less than Box B, but Box B weighs more than Box C.
- Question: Which box is the lightest?
Question 2:
Four weights—X, Y, Z, and W—are compared. X is heavier than Y, Z is lighter than X but heavier than Y. W is the lightest of all.
- Question: Which weight is the heaviest?
Question 3:
There are three bags: P, Q, and R. Bag P weighs more than Bag R. Bag R weighs the same as Bag Q.
- Question: Which bag is the heaviest?
Question 4:
Tom has three apples. Apple A is heavier than Apple B. Apple B is heavier than Apple C.
- Question: Which apple is the lightest?
Question 5:
There are four objects: a book, a pencil, a ruler, and a cup. The book is heavier than the pencil, but lighter than the ruler. The cup is lighter than the pencil.
- Question: Which object is the heaviest?
Question 6:
Three people—Sophie, Emma, and Liam—each carry a different load. Sophie’s load is lighter than Emma’s, but heavier than Liam’s.
- Question: Who carries the heaviest load?
Question 7:
Four fruits: an apple, a banana, a cherry, and a melon. The apple is heavier than the banana, the banana is heavier than the cherry, but the melon is heavier than all of them.
- Question: Which fruit is the second heaviest?
Question 8:
Three animals: a dog, a rabbit, and a cat. The dog is heavier than the cat. The cat is heavier than the rabbit.
- Question: Which animal is the lightest?
Question 9:
There are four rocks: R1, R2, R3, and R4. R1 is heavier than R2, but lighter than R4. R3 is heavier than R2, but lighter than R1.
- Question: Which rock is the second heaviest?
Question 10:
Three weights: 10 kg, 7 kg, and 5 kg. The 10 kg weight is heavier than both the 7 kg and the 5 kg weights. The 5 kg weight is lighter than the 7 kg weight.
- Question: Which weight is the lightest?
Question 11:
You have three crates: Red, Blue, and Green. The Red crate weighs more than the Blue crate, and the Green crate weighs more than the Red crate.
- Question: Which crate is the heaviest?
Question 12:
There are three balls: X, Y, and Z. Ball X is lighter than ball Z but heavier than ball Y.
- Question: Which ball is the heaviest?
Question 13:
Two objects are compared: a feather and a stone. The stone is heavier than the feather.
- Question: Which object is lighter?
Question 14:
Four bags: A, B, C, and D. Bag A is heavier than Bag B, Bag B is heavier than Bag C, but Bag D is the heaviest.
- Question: Which bag is the second heaviest?
Question 15:
Three brothers—John, Harry, and Tim—have bags of different weights. John’s bag is heavier than Harry’s bag, and Harry’s bag is heavier than Tim’s bag.
- Question: Whose bag is the lightest?
Question 16:
Four animals: a lion, a rabbit, a tiger, and a horse. The horse is heavier than the rabbit, but lighter than the lion. The tiger is the heaviest of all.
- Question: Which animal is the second heaviest?
Question 17:
There are five books: A, B, C, D, and E. Book A is lighter than Book B but heavier than Book C. Book D is the lightest, and Book E is the heaviest.
- Question: Which book is the second lightest?
Question 18:
You have three objects: a ball, a block, and a cone. The ball is heavier than the block. The cone is lighter than the block.
- Question: Which object is the lightest?
Question 19:
Four containers: 1, 2, 3, and 4. Container 2 is heavier than Container 1, but lighter than Container 3. Container 4 is the lightest of all.
- Question: Which container is the heaviest?
Question 20:
Three bags: A, B, and C. Bag A is lighter than Bag B, and Bag C is heavier than Bag A but lighter than Bag B.
- Question: Which bag is the heaviest?
Answers:
Answer 1:
Box C is the lightest.
Answer 2:
X is the heaviest.
Answer 3:
Bag P is the heaviest.
Answer 4:
Apple C is the lightest.
Answer 5:
The ruler is the heaviest.
Answer 6:
Emma carries the heaviest load.
Answer 7:
The apple is the second heaviest.
Answer 8:
The rabbit is the lightest.
Answer 9:
R1 is the second heaviest.
Answer 10:
The 5 kg weight is the lightest.
Answer 11:
The Green crate is the heaviest.
Answer 12:
Ball Z is the heaviest.
Answer 13:
The feather is lighter.
Answer 14:
Bag A is the second heaviest.
Answer 15:
Tim’s bag is the lightest.
Answer 16:
The lion is the second heaviest.
Answer 17:
Book C is the second lightest.
Answer 18:
The cone is the lightest.
Answer 19:
Container 3 is the heaviest.
Answer 20:
Bag B is the heaviest.
These “Weight or Balance” puzzles test students’ logical thinking and ability to make deductions based on comparisons, a key skill in verbal reasoning assessments. These types of problems encourage attention to detail and a clear understanding of relational thinking, both essential for excelling in 11+ tests.
