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The hanger shown in the diagram is balanced. All cherries weigh the same, all mushrooms weigh the same, and all strawberries weigh the same. The bottom of the hanger is hidden from view. Two strings could have more weights extending below the curtain. Maybe there are more, maybe there are not!

How many grams does the exotic fruit weigh, if the weight of one cherry is 7 grams?
Assume that all parts of the hanger itself (horizontal bars and vertical strings) weigh nothing.

The hanger shown in the diagram is balanced. All cherries weigh the same, all mushrooms-example-1
User Lughino
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1 Answer

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The total grams of the exotic fruit would be= 364g.

How to determine the weight of the exotic fruit?

To calculate the weight of the exotic fruit, the following steps should be taken as follows:

When the fruit hanger is observed, it is found to be balanced. Therefore the weight of the fruits at the right hand side is the same as the weight of the fruits at the left hand side.

Details of the fruits at the right hand side is given below;

Number of cherries = 6

Number of strawberries= 3

Number of mushroom = 1

To determine the weight of each strawberry from the fruit scale;

3 cherries = 2 strawberries

NB: 1 cherry = 7g

(3×7)g = 2 strawberries

xg. = 1 strawberry

xg = 21/2 = 10.5g

1 strawberry = 10.5g

To determine the weight of each mushroom from the fruit scale;

2 cherry +1 strawberry = 1 mushroom + 1 cherry

Therefore,

1 mushroom = 2(7g)+(10.5)-1(7g)

= 14+10.5-7

= 24.5-7 = 17.5

Number of cherries = 6 × 7= 42

Number of strawberries= 3×10.5

Number of mushroom = 1 × 17.5

Total weight at right side;

= 42+31.5+17.5

= 182g

The weight of the whole exotic fruit would be 182× 2 = 364g. This is so because, right hand side is the same as the weight of the fruits at the left hand side and total of which equals to the weight of the exotic fruit.

User Matthew Brown
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