Member of the Month

PartyBullshiit
March, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

Riddle me this...

profile picture
treebeard
Posts: 3589 - Karma: 1,065

There are two lengths of rope.

Each one can burn in exactly 1 hour.

They are not necessarily the same length or width as each other.

They also are not of uniform width (may be wider in middle than on the end), thus burning half the rope is not necessarily 1/2 hour.

By burning the ropes, how do you measure exactly 45 minutes worth of time?

Apr 14 2009 11:36AM
0 0
profile picture
ElChapoTrapHaus
Posts: 1250 - Karma: 38
have done that one before, its a good one.  just for future internet riddles, you may want to reword the questions quite a bit to weed out the google answers.
Apr 14 2009 11:40AM
0 0
profile picture
hartig
Posts: 8192 - Karma: 10
Light the first rope at both ends to create two flame fronts (burns at twice the consumption rate so it should be done in 30 minutes). At the end of the first rope burn light the second rope at both ends and in the middle. This second rope will now have 4 flame fronts and consume the second rope in half the time as the first rope (15 minutes) when the second rope is gone you should be at your 45 minute point.
Apr 14 2009 12:17PM
0 0
profile picture
hartig
Posts: 8192 - Karma: 10
;)
Apr 14 2009 12:17PM
0 0
profile picture
SkierTewes
Posts: 32 - Karma: 10
Let one rope burn and say, "shit 45 minutes was 15 minutes ago".
Apr 14 2009 12:36PM
0 0
profile picture
ajax
Posts: 2850 - Karma: 1,236
hahaha yesss
Apr 14 2009 12:43PM
0 0
profile picture
skijunkiedtm
Posts: 9229 - Karma: 61
buy a watch.
Apr 14 2009 12:44PM
0 0
profile picture
treebeard
Posts: 3589 - Karma: 1,065
good point. it took me like 40 minutes to figure it out the real way, but i should have known someone would just look it up
Apr 14 2009 4:47PM
0 0
profile picture
Bepo
Posts: 8195 - Karma: 17
thats what I thought but how would you light the second one right in the middle? One half might take longer to burn because they aren't uniform
Apr 14 2009 4:59PM
0 0
profile picture
treebeard
Posts: 3589 - Karma: 1,065
good catch. i didnt read the answer thoroughly enough before, thats actually partially wrong.

the first rope is right. for the second one, you light one end at the same time as the other 2 ends on the first rope (so both ropes are burning). when the first rope is gone, you light the other end of the second rope. when this one is gone, your at the 45 minute mark
Apr 14 2009 8:52PM
0 0
profile picture
8ONE657
Posts: 3045 - Karma: 209
If you light both ends of one rope, it will burn in exactly a 1/2 hour. Thus, burn one rope from both ends and the other rope from only one end. Once the one rope (which is burning from both ends) finally burns out (and you know a 1/2 hour has elapsed), you also know that the other rope (which is burning from only one end) has exactly 1/2 hour left to burn. Since you only want 45 minutes, light the second end of the rope. This remaining piece will burn in 15 minutes. Thus, totaling 45 minutes.
Apr 14 2009 8:54PM
0 0
profile picture
steevner
Posts: 4502 - Karma: 47
fold one of the ropes in two, then fold again. Then cut off 1 quarter of the rope. throw away 1/4 and burn the rest.
Then run around whipping people with the other rope for 45 minutes, laughing madly.
Apr 14 2009 9:01PM
0 0
profile picture
El_Barto.
Posts: 11630 - Karma: 24,465
does the rope have to be laying down on like a table or something? assuming the rope is suspended in mid-air the flame at the bottom of the rope is going to ascend up the rope faster than the flame at the top is going to descend due to the fact that the flame will naturally gravitate upwards. idk if that is how it works but im gonna go try it and see if thats right
Apr 14 2009 9:04PM
0 0
profile picture
Beans13
Posts: 441 - Karma: 12
uhh usually folding something in 1/2 will show you the middle
Apr 14 2009 9:07PM
0 0
profile picture
treebeard
Posts: 3589 - Karma: 1,065
yes, but the rope varies in width throughout. so one half might take longer to burn than the other, and vice versa
Apr 14 2009 9:09PM
0 0
profile picture
ReetsAdeets
Posts: 1531 - Karma: 611
Cut one in half, and one in fourths.  Burn the half and 1/4
Apr 14 2009 9:10PM
0 0
profile picture
treebeard
Posts: 3589 - Karma: 1,065
again, see my last post for reference to why that doesnt work
Apr 14 2009 9:14PM
0 0
profile picture
steevner
Posts: 4502 - Karma: 47
go outside. don't burn ropes. hold one up vertically and make a sundial!
Apr 14 2009 9:15PM
0 0
profile picture
Totes_Magotes
Posts: 2259 - Karma: 870
hahahaha.... you all are over thinking it too much
Apr 14 2009 9:32PM
0 0
profile picture
geet
Posts: 2436 - Karma: 6
this
Apr 14 2009 10:18PM
0 0
profile picture
dylansiggers
Posts: 1661 - Karma: 5,841
i got so lost trying to read these....
Apr 14 2009 11:07PM
0 0
profile picture
no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,267
look at the fucking clock on your cellphone
Apr 14 2009 11:09PM
0 0
profile picture
snowbird4life
Posts: 2265 - Karma: 26
i second this.
Apr 14 2009 11:11PM
0 0
profile picture
kingcomet32
Posts: 638 - Karma: 13
that was all that i could think of
Apr 14 2009 11:19PM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4)