Curated and Reviewed by
Lesson Planet
This Can You Solve the Counterfeit Coin Riddle? instructional video also includes:
Math enthusiasts and riddle gurus are sure to love a mind-bending puzzle involving a king, a scale, and a counterfeit coin. Middle and high schoolers work through a video that describes a mathematician's challenge to find a false coin in a collection of 12 using only three chances at a balance scale.
8 Views
10 Downloads
CCSS:
Adaptable
Concepts
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
- Assign the riddle in writing for homework before class the next day and see how many people solved it before presenting the video
- Include in a math class when discussing problem solving strategies, or in a science class in a lesson about mass and measurement
Classroom Considerations
- The riddle is quite tricky and likely requires more explaniation from the teacher
- Assessment questions focus on the specific way the narrator solved the problem in the video
Pros
- Paused section includes helpful reminders about the parameters of the riddle
- Extension section offers background information to the puzzle, as well as a way to simplify it if needed (reducing the coins to 9 instead of 12)
Cons
- None