Counters


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Take 24 counters and put them in 3 piles like below:
3 different sized piles of counters

 

The task is to get the same number of counters in each pile.

But you may only add to a pile the number of counters it has in it.

 

v      How many moves does it take?

v      What is the smallest number of moves this can be done?

v      Now try other ways of putting the 24 counters into piles. Can the puzzle always be solved?

v      Try other piles of counters.