This puzzle looks incredibly easy… but can you solve it without writing anything down?
Take a close look at the two balance scales.
- One apple + one banana = 51
- Two apples + one banana = 87
Your challenge is simple: What is the weight of one apple?
Don’t rush. The trick is to compare what changes between the two scales.
Notice that both scales contain exactly one banana. The only difference is that the second scale has one extra apple.
That means the increase from 51 to 87 is caused entirely by one apple.
So calculate:
87 − 51 = 36
That means one apple weighs 36.
To double-check:
- Apple = 36
- Banana = 51 − 36 = 15
Now test the second scale:
36 + 36 + 15 = 87
Everything matches perfectly.
Final Answer
One apple weighs 36.