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TOY  BALANCE  SCALE
( A REPLICA OF A CALIFORNIA 1849 GOLD RUSH SCALE )



WEIGHTING  A  SET  OF  PLATONIC  SOLIDS ...
( ref. to   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_solid  )
...  Tetrahedron  +  Cube  +  Octahedron  +  Dodecahedron  +  Icosahedron


with           4     ...       6     ...       8     ...       12     ...       20         Sides
PORTABLE  T O Y  BALANCE SCALE                Made in India   (1990)
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The Limited Metric Weight Set is  ( 50 + 20 + 10 + 5 + 2 + 1 )  Gram

Here it measures the weights of a set of   P L A T O N I C   SOLIDS.
To balance the DODECAHEDRON  ( = X )  on scale,  there has to be ...

    ( 20 + 10 ) Gram  =  LEFT   <===>   RIGHT  =  X  +  1 Gram

Therefore  X = 29 Gram  is the weight of the  aluminum  DODECAHEDRON
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and  can  n o t  placed  with this weight set on its opposite side !

                    See a REAL WEIGHT SET ...
R E M A R K S :
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This nice brass balance scale is  a  R E P L I C A  of a  California
1849 Gold Rush Scale  and can be found in  Flea Markets beside other
"antiques" made in modern India like Compasses or Sextants.  It came
with additional "Milligram" weights in a box - but  USELESS, because
 (a) 20 % ERRORS      ( Proof with the  METTLER SCALE )
 (b) NOT APPLICABLE with this type of scale!
                                                       THEREFORE ...
This is a  TOY SCALE, a good teaching tool for learning arithmetics!

                    HOW MECHANICAL SCALES WORK ...
impressum:
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© C.HAMANN        http://public.BHT-Berlin.de/hamann        12/13/10