Finding the heavier sphere among 20 spheres without seeing it.

• Divide the spheres into groups of 3, weigh any two groups against each other.

• If both groups weigh the same, the heavier sphere is in the t...read more

public class FindHeavierSphere {

public static void main(String[] args) {

int[] spheres = new int[20];

// Assign weights to the spheres, where one sphere has a higher weight

int heavierSphere = findHeavierSphere(spheres);

System.out.println("The heavier sphere is: " + heavierSphere);

}

public static int findHeavierSphere(int[] spheres) {

// Divide the spheres into groups A, B, and C

int[] groupA = new int[6];

int[] groupB = new int[6];

int[] groupC = new int[2];

// Weigh group A against group B

int weightComparison = weighGroups(groupA, groupB);

if (weightComparison == 0) {

// The heavier sphere is in group C

return weighIndividuals(groupC[0], groupC[1]);

} else if (weightComparison > 0) {

// The heavier sphere is in group A

return weighIndividuals(groupA[0], groupA[1]);

} else {

// The heavier sphere is in group B

return weighIndividuals(groupB[0], groupB[1]);

}

}

public static int weighGroups(int[] groupA, int[] groupB) {

int totalWeightA = calculateTotalWeight(groupA);

int totalWeightB = calculateTotalWeight(groupB);

return Integer.compare(totalWeightA, totalWeightB);

}

public static int weighIndividuals(int sphere1, int sphere2) {

return Integer.compare(sphere1, sphere2);

}

public static int calculateTotalWeight(int[] group) {

int totalWeight = 0;

for (int weight : group) {

totalWeight += weight;

}

return totalWeight;

}

}