Imagine that one day Steem has become mainstream, and that governments issue Steem coins.

One day, 12 of the wealthiest whales decide to donate 1 Steem Dollar each to a charity fund for the minnows. The coins are gathered and put into a pile like so:

Just as the coins are about to get deposited, someone from the charity with a high sense of intuition thinks that one of the coins is fake and halts the transaction. He also senses that the counterfeit coin is heavier than the real coin.

It just so happens that you are the charity's greatest mathematician, and you decide to use this scale to find out which of the 12 coins is fake. Since you're so clever, you give yourself the additional challenge of only using the scale a maximum of 3 times.

How do you single out the fake coin?

Stuck? Hints:

• You may assume that the fake coin is heavier than the real coin.
• You may only use the scale 3 times.
• The scale can only be used to determine which side is heavier, lighter, or equal in weight.
• There is no magic involved :)