16 replies to this topic

[bonanova]

Ooo I know...
Spoiler Is NO Fun... The answer is >>>

The gold is the 1 lb lead which is painted with the color gold... Duh??
If im wrong then i have no clue wat so ever....

Nope.

We need a means by which Alex becomes rich.

Answer tomorrow; today's hint:

The King had his Royal Department of Weights and Measures weigh the lead Alex received each day, and weigh the gold Alex returned each morning.

If they both weighed exactly 1 pound, how could Alex have kept any of the gold?

[unreality]

your Trojan horse hint definitely pointed to the last answer given about painting the lead golden...

so he shaved off some of the gold maybe... and the scales in those days were sucky, and couldnt measure micrograms? lol


can I ask you a question: is the gold he returns PURE 100% gold? I.e. its not Pyrite, like i suggested, or the lead painted with gold leaf or paint, etc?

Would lead 'expand' in the making of gold? Nobody knows since you cant do it and it would be really ****** to make up your own imaginary chemical outcomes and such. So it probably isnt something chemical like lead making more gold than its weight... is it?

[bonanova]

Nothing so tricky as all that - no paint, etc.

The alchemist's goal was always to turn each atom of lead
directly into an atom of gold. There may be a small difference
in the weights of those atoms, but that's not the way Alex
made his fortune.

Here's how it worked.

Spoiler for ...

At the Royal Department of Weights and Measures, the King's
scientists knew that you use a different system for weighing
precious metals -- the Troy system -- from what you use for
weighing say potatoes. Or for that matter, lead.
That would be the Avoirdupois system.

[hint: Helen = Helen of Troy]

The systems differ enough for Alex to be able to deliver back
to the King each morning only about 82% of the gold he made
the previous day. At today's prices, Sir Alex was pocketing
about $2000 each day. Not a bad return on his time.

For the mathematically inclined, a pound is 16 oz in Avoirdupois,
but only 12 oz in Troy weight. But Alex's cut wasn't 25%; it
was less, because a Troy ounce [about 31 grams] is a little heavier
than an Avoirdupois ounce [about 28 grams].

So netting it all out, each day:

Alex was given 453.6 grams of lead [1 pound Avoirdupois]
Alex returned only 373.2 grams of gold [1 pound Troy]
Alex kept about 80 grams of gold for himself.

[Writersblock]

+ 6% for the alchemical conversion of the mole.

A pound of lead converted in either system would make 1.06 pounds of gold.

[bonanova]

Alex didn't realize that; so to be fair, he should get his 18%
and you should get the other 6% -- about $670 a day ...
that sound alright?

[Writersblock]

Sounds good to me! How do I collect?

[bonanova]

Sounds good to me! How do I collect?

Not sure. Alex isn't answering his phone since the story broke.