Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/301 - Weighing the Tea

Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $301$

Weighing the Tea

A grocer proposed to put up $20$ pounds of China tea into $2$-pound packets,

but the weights had been misplaced by somebody, and he could only find the $5$-pound and the $9$-pound weights.

What is the quickest way for him to do the business?

We will say at once that only nine weighings are really necessary.

Sources

• 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Magic Square, Measuring, Weighing, and Packing Problems: $301$. -- Weighing the Tea
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Weight Puzzles: $101$. Weighing the Tea