Telling time with wires

[clementine]

How do you measure forty-five minutes using two identical wires, each of which takes an hour to burn? The wires do not burn an even length per minute. You have matches at your disposal.

[creedkingsx]

Fold 1 in half once, burn. Fold another in half twice. Light one as soon as the other is done.

[cookies4you]

Assuming that the wire can bend, you can easily fold one wire once, and the other wire twice and place the two next to each other.

However, if the wire cannot be bent, grab the two and place on above the other. Align the two and slowly rotate one wire until it hits about 180 degrees. Using this as a base, slowly pull the top wire until you reach approximately half of what one side is.

Now, set the top wire on fire. When the fire reaches to where the bottom wire is, you'll have found your 45 minute mark.

[clementine]

Assuming that the wire can bend, you can easily fold one wire once, and the other wire twice and place the two next to each other.

However, if the wire cannot be bent, grab the two and place on above the other. Align the two and slowly rotate one wire until it hits about 180 degrees. Using this as a base, slowly pull the top wire until you reach approximately half of what one side is.

Now, set the top wire on fire. When the fire reaches to where the bottom wire is, you'll have found your 45 minute mark.

Sorry cookies4you, I have absolutely no idea what you are trying to describe. T.T

Also, I think you guys are forgetting that "The wires do not burn an even length per minute." For example, the first inch of wire might take 50 minutes to burn while the remaining 12 inches of wire might take only 10 minutes. Due to the non linearity of the wire burn speed, I'm not sure what folding a wire would necessarily accomplish. This problem can be solved without folding wires.

[Duzero]

I guess you should abuse the fact that they are identical in some way. But I can't figure out how lol.

Is there a way to know which side is up and down on the wires?

[creedkingsx]

You said, "each of which takes an hour to burn."
I assumed that meant each wire takes an hour to burn.

[Duzero]

Ok I think I got it.


Put the wires next to each other this this:

1: A~~~~B
2: A~~~~B

Light edge A and B on the top wire and edge B on the bottom wire. Wait for the top wire to burn out, that is the 30 minute mark.

1: A~~~~B
2: A~~~~B

Now light edge A on the bottom one too so it burns from both edges. When the second wire burns out 15 more minutes will have passed.

Now 45 minutes have passed!

[creedkingsx]

Ok I think I got it.


Put the wires next to each other this this:

A~~~~B

A~~~~B

Light edge A on the top wire and edge B on the bottom wire. Wait for the 2 flames to meet somewhere in the middle, that is the 30 minute mark.

A~~~~B
A~~~~B

Now light edge B on the top one and edge A on the bottom one. When they both burn out 15 more minutes have passed(they should burn out simulatenously).

Now 45 minutes have passed!


Not necessarily.
If one is 50, and one is 10, then one will burn when the other gets to 1/5 of the way there.

[Duzero]

Not necessarily.
If one is 50, and one is 10, then one will burn when the other gets to 1/5 of the way there.

They are identical

[creedkingsx]

They are identical

They burn at different rates. :P

[Duzero]

They burn at different rates. :P

d00d, read everything again including clems posts. I don't wanna explain outside the spoiler cause it can ruin it for some people.

[FrostByte]

They are identical
Yes, they're identical, but the rate at which they burn is NOT constant.

1/4 of the wire being burnt does not mean it's been 15 minutes.



The only way I can think of is to use a stopwatch and measure how long it takes to burn 1/4 of the wire, then use the other wire to determine how much longer you need to hit 45 minutes, lol.

[FrostByte]

Ok I think I got it.

Wait for the 2 flames to meet somewhere in the middle, that is the 30 minute mark.


Not necessarily.
That's where you don't understand. 1/2 of the wire =/= 30 minutes.

[Duzero]

I should stop hijacking clem's role. I gave too many hints already.

[FrostByte]

I should stop hijacking clem's role. I gave too many hints already.
No you didn't.
You fail to comprehend a vital part of the puzzle.

[Duzero]

Not necessarily.
That's where you don't understand. 1/2 of the wire =/= 30 minutes.

And don't quote the text inside my spoiler please.


I didn't say they need to meet exactly in the middle, look at my pretty ASCII !

[Duzero]

No you didn't.
You fail to comprehend a vital part of the puzzle.

No, you fail to understand my solution ^^

[FrostByte]

No, you fail to understand my solution ^^
Not at all. Your solution is asinine.

1/2 of the wire =/= 30 minutes. Do you understand why that makes your solution wrong?

The point where the flame from the burning wires meet is irrelevant.

[Duzero]

Not at all. Your solution is asinine.

1/2 of the wire =/= 30 minutes. Do you understand why that makes your solution wrong?

The point where the flame from the burning wires meet is irrelevant.

O rly? I disagree.

[clementine]

Duzero you are really close! However it's not quite correct.

You cannot distinguish one end of the wire from the other. If you happen to light the wires at both "slow burning" ends, you will end up with a longer time than expected. Also, for further clarification, the wires look identical but are not necessarily identical in the speed at which they burn.

You are on the right track though. Try modifying your solution a bit, and I think you'll get it!

Perhaps I should clarify about the "identical" wires... I meant identical in the sense that they are both the same material and look exactly the same, however they might not necessarily have the same burning speeds. For example the first wire might burn 50 minutes in its first inch while the second wire might burn 40 minutes in its first 5 inches. "Identical" refers only to the fact that the wires LOOK exactly the same.

[Cryptonic]

I grind it into a fine powder, weigh the total mass.
Then take 3/8 of the powder, by weight, and melt back into a wire.
The material will then burn at the same rate, and will last 45 minutes.

[Cryptonic]

WHY IS MY POST NOT APPEARING THIS IS SCARING ME
nvm, it appeared

[Bruno]

It's Cocaine.

[Duzero]

Duzero you are really close! However it's not quite correct.

You cannot distinguish one end of the wire from the other. If you happen to light the wires at both "slow burning" ends, you will end up with a longer time than expected. Also, for further clarification, the wires look identical but are not necessarily identical in the speed at which they burn.

You are on the right track though. Try modifying your solution a bit, and I think you'll get it!

Perhaps I should clarify about the "identical" wires... I meant identical in the sense that they are both the same material and look exactly the same, however they might not necessarily have the same burning speeds. For example the first wire might burn 50 minutes in its first inch while the second wire might burn 40 minutes in its first 5 inches. "Identical" refers only to the fact that the wires LOOK exactly the same.

Ok I misunderstood what you meant with identical ^^. I edited my solution to reflect that so it should be correct now :)

[Duzero]

I grind it into a fine powder, weigh the total mass.
Then take 3/8 of the powder, by weight, and melt back into a wire.
The material will then burn at the same rate, and will last 45 minutes.

And then you snort the remaining powder, correct?

I wonder will you light the powder on fire or not?

[Cryptonic]

And then you snort the remaining powder, correct?

I wonder will you light the powder on fire or not?

butofcurse

[clementine]

I grind it into a fine powder, weigh the total mass.
Then take 3/8 of the powder, by weight, and melt back into a wire.
The material will then burn at the same rate, and will last 45 minutes.

I wonder how you will grind the wires into a fine powder. You only have the wires and matches.

Oh, I see. Perhaps you will grind them them the same way you crushed your hopes and dreams of ever solving this puzzle. :smile:

[clementine]

Also, Duzero is correct!

[Bruno]

He googled it

[Cryptonic]

I wonder how you will grind the wires into a fine powder. You only have the wires and matches.

Oh, I see. Perhaps you will grind them them the same way you crushed your hopes and dreams of ever solving this puzzle. :smile:


LOL :suspicious:

[Cryptonic]

He googled it

I checked his browsing history, he did. Along with "Hairy Man Porn" several times each day.

[Bruno]

Cryptonic tells no lies.

[Duzero]

I checked his browsing history, he did. Along with "Hairy Man Porn" several times each day.

I don't know your real name, but I know your porn star name from those searches, Mr "Hairy Hobbit"