There are five different boxes of different unknown weights each less than 100 kg. These boxes were weighted in pairs and the weights obtained are 110, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 120 and 121 kg. What is the weight in kg of the heaviest box?
Step-by-step Solution:
Let's define the five different boxes with weights \( a, b, c, d, e \) such that:
\[
a < b < c < d < e
\]
Each pair of boxes was weighed, resulting in the following weights:
\[
110, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 120, 121
\]
Step 1: Finding the Sum of All Weights
Each weight corresponds to a sum of two different box weights. Since there are five boxes, we have:
\[
\text{Total sum of all pairwise weights} = (a+b) + (a+c) + (a+d) + (a+e) + (b+c) + (b+d) + (b+e) + (c+d) + (c+e) + (d+e)
\]
Adding all the given weights:
\[
110 + 112 + 113 + 114 + 115 + 116 + 117 + 118 + 120 + 121 = 1156
\]
This sum is equal to:
\[
4(a + b + c + d + e)
\]
Thus,
\[
a + b + c + d + e = \frac{1156}{4} = 289
\]
Step 2: Identifying the Smallest and Largest Weights
The smallest sum must be \( a + b = 110 \) and the largest sum must be \( d + e = 121 \).
Since we know the total sum:
\[
a + b + c + d + e = 289
\]
We substitute \( a + b = 110 \) and \( d + e = 121 \):
\[
110 + c + 121 = 289
\]
\[
c = 289 - 231 = 58
\]
Step 3: Identifying the Heaviest Box
The heaviest box is \( e \), which is obtained from:
\[
d + e = 121
\]
From other pairwise sums, we find \( d \) and \( e \):
\( c + e = 120 \Rightarrow 58 + e = 120 \Rightarrow e = 62 \)
\( c + d = 118 \Rightarrow 58 + d = 118 \Rightarrow d = 60 \)
Thus, the heaviest box weighs:
\(
\mathbf{62 \text{ kg}}
\)