Two Ropes
February 14th, 2007 at 3:32 am (riddle)
You are given two ropes and a lighter. This is the only equipment you can use. You are told that each of the two ropes has the following property: if you light one end of the rope, it will take exactly one hour to burn all the way to the other end. But it doesn’t have to burn at a uniform rate. In other words, half the rope may burn in the first five minutes, and then the other half would take 55 minutes.The rate at which the two ropes burn is not necessarily the same, so the second rope will also take an hour to burn from one end to the other, but may do it at some varying rate, which is not necessarily the same as the one for the first rope. Now you are asked to measure a period of 45 minutes.How will you do it?
El Smarhe said,
February 14, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Light rope 1 at one end. At the same time light rope 2 at both ends. When rope 2 is done burning which would take a total of 30 minutes, light the other end of rope 1 which has been burning from one end for 30 minutes. After you light rope 1’s other end it will take 15 more minutes for it to completely burn, leaving you with two completely burnt ropes 45 minutes later.
Ali said,
February 14, 2007 at 6:41 pm
light 1 rope from both ends. this should take 30 minutes to burn. When this finishes, take the second rope and fold it in half and light both “ends” (really four places). This one should then take 15 mintues to burn, giving you 45 mintues.
El Smarhe said,
February 17, 2007 at 9:06 pm
But Ali, what if one half of rope 2, the one you folded in half, takes 50 minutes to burn while the other half takes only 10? Then one half would burn up after 5 minutes with the other taking 25. We don’t know the rate of burn for segments of rope.
isis merril said,
February 19, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Can’t u just tie a knot and light one end and then the whole thing will catch on fire? Or is that not allowed?
George said,
February 22, 2007 at 6:51 am
Light one rope at both ends. This should burn in 30 minutes. While this is burning. Fold the second rope into four folds. When rope one finishes burning, light the second rope at the four folds. This should burn in 15 minutes for a total of 45 minutes
kenny said,
February 26, 2007 at 7:18 am
step 1 Measure both ropes.
Step 2 Light both ropes at one end,
Step 3 time 45 minutes. and cut the rope.
Step 4 measure the remaing rope and deduct fro the original lenght for rope 1 , repeate for rope 2.
The answer is the Answer, the question does not tell us which rope to burn it mearly asks for a method..
anonymous said,
March 5, 2007 at 7:56 pm
with a watch or with a clock of some sort.
PGM said,
March 6, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Presuming that we have to use the ropes to measure out 45 mins, you cant fold the rope in 4 because there is no uniform burning along it. Hence 1/4 may burn in 1 min, the next in 10 min, the next in 20 min the fianl bit in 29. This is the same idea for burning it at both ends 0.5 may burn in 1 min the other takes it time! As long as the ropes have non-unifrom burning rate I dont think its possible
PGM said,
March 7, 2007 at 2:29 am
Two new thoughts-
1. Place the two lengths side by side. Move the one on the right through 270 degrees. The idea is that the 2 ropes are synonomous with the hands on a clock hence moving one through 270 degrees is equal to 45 minutes on a clock face.
2. A minute is 1/60 of a degree. Hence 45 mins is 0.75 degree. If you can manipulate the ropes so that they are at 0.75 degree to each other you will have 45 mins
Anonymous said,
March 9, 2007 at 9:31 am
Actually the riddle asks how you will measure a period of 45 minutes. All of this other information is erroneous. I stick by my answer of clock or watch, or a timepiece of some sort.
PGM said,
March 12, 2007 at 11:57 am
The answer is twenty-three. Its always TWENTY THREE. Three divided by two is .666 the number of the devil. 48 divided by 8 + 17=…23. Surprised? don’t be.
Thirumalai said,
April 11, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Why do most of the people here assume that the whole rope will burn
in 30 mins if lighted simultaneously from both the ends ??
The riddle says that the burn rate is not uniform and not to assume that
half the rope will be burnt in 30 mins. So the same reasoning and logic
should apply when lighted from both the ends. Please correct me if you
think that I am wrong anywhere ?
Krenn said,
May 15, 2007 at 11:16 am
Thirumalai – it doesn’t matter that the burn rate isn’t uniform *provided* you don’t care where the flames meet.
Think of it like this: Suppose you let the rope burn for half an hour. Call the point it reaches X. After a half hour, we know it will take another half hour to burn the rest of the rope, making it an hour total. So if you lit from the other end, it would take half an hour to burn that end up to point X.
That means that when you light the rope at both ends, both ends burn to point X – wherever that is on the rope.
buey said,
May 15, 2007 at 1:33 pm
The parameters are incorrect, as they prevent a solution. The target time should be 1.5 hours, not 45 minutes. The only times that the ropes can measure are 1 hour (burning one end) and 1/2 hour (burning both ends simultaneously). There are no other measurable increments.
Burning one at one end, then the other at both ends (or vice versa) yields the least obvious predictable result (1.5 hours vs 1 or 2).
buey said,
May 15, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Disregard my last response, it was wrong. Here is the correct solution:
1 – Light one rope at both ends, and light the other at one end.
2 – When the first rope stops burning, light the other end of the remaining rope.
When the last rope stops burning, 45 minutes have passed.
erikpurne said,
May 15, 2007 at 4:51 pm
What is wrong with you people? The very first post is obviously the right answer. As for the rest, it seems clear that some of you are joking (best answer: tie between ‘clock’ and ‘23′), some others I can merely hope…
Chris said,
May 15, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Knowing that I can digest one piece of rope in 22.5 minutes, I would simply eat both pieces of rope and wait until they are digested.
Holly said,
July 7, 2007 at 1:34 am
No other equipment can be used. I’m too lazy to use the method described in the first post. Now what?
Start counting seconds.
RonnyRolls said,
October 21, 2007 at 5:27 am
Hi all!!!
Has found references to free-of-charge video! Cautiously, adult! Has placed in section this.. ;)
big tit anal sex big tit anal sex
black lesbian porn clip black lesbian porn clip
big tit anal sex big tit anal sex
sex party club sex party club
black lesbian porn clip black lesbian porn clip
mallu adult picture mallu adult picture
free lesbian party gallery free lesbian party gallery
free chubby porn clip free chubby porn clip
lesbian real sex story lesbian real sex story
mature sex dvd mature sex dvd
anal porn video anal porn video
black porn star deja black porn star deja
adult mobile game adult mobile game
naomi watt lesbian love scene naomi watt lesbian love scene
adult mobile game adult mobile game
anal free gay movie anal free gay movie
gay cum shot gay cum shot
banned download erotic horror movie banned download erotic horror movie
naomi watt lesbian love scene naomi watt lesbian love scene
lesbian licking pussy lesbian licking pussy
dude gay movie dude gay movie
adult porn review adult porn review
free anal video clip free anal video clip
big lesbian tit wrestlers big lesbian tit wrestlers
ass fuck perfect tit ass fuck perfect tit
lesbian movie sistas lesbian movie sistas
ass fuck perfect tit ass fuck perfect tit
teen hard anal fuck teen hard anal fuck
free gay german porn free gay german porn
gay teen anal gay teen anal
free natural tit pic free natural tit pic
danske porn film danske porn film
black gay porn movie black gay porn movie
adult career and continuing education adult career and continuing education
black lesbian mpeg black lesbian mpeg
lesbian movie sistas lesbian movie sistas
gay and lesbian marriage gay and lesbian marriage
free lesbian pussy licking movie free lesbian pussy licking movie
gay and lesbian marriage gay and lesbian marriage
adult sex toy review adult sex toy review
latino gay sex latino gay sex
live sex camera live sex camera
lesbian ass fucking with strap on lesbian ass fucking with strap on
free gay big cock gallery free gay big cock gallery
free movie pic porn site free movie pic porn site
black gay black gay
adult xxx story adult xxx story
free lesbian pussy licking movie free lesbian pussy licking movie
free adult thumbnail photo free adult thumbnail photo
accent adult comic introduction new accent adult comic introduction new
free adult thumbnail photo free adult thumbnail photo
arab kiss gay arab kiss gay
nys sex offender nys sex offender
disney porn star disney porn star
accent adult comic introduction new accent adult comic introduction new
lesbian dildo fuck lesbian dildo fuck
used gay dvd used gay dvd
gay submission wrestling gay submission wrestling
black lesbian poem poetry black lesbian poem poetry
gay and lesbian love gay and lesbian love
free live sex web cam free live sex web cam
adult finder friend login personals adult finder friend login personals
free live sex web cam free live sex web cam
adult comic gallery free adult comic gallery free
hot anal video hot anal video
discount sex toy discount sex toy
double anal clip double anal clip
tit n ass tit n ass
adult finder friend login personals adult finder friend login personals
nude old gay nude old gay
black boy gay pay per view black boy gay pay per view
watch paris hilton sex video watch paris hilton sex video
naked gay video for free naked gay video for free
adult amateur cam web adult amateur cam web
naked gay video for free naked gay video for free
hot teacher anal hot teacher anal
young teen huge tit young teen huge tit
indian porn story indian porn story
swinger orgy sex swinger orgy sex
free adult friend free adult friend
gay personals teen gay personals teen
mammoth book of erotic photography mammoth book of erotic photography
fire first jada sex teacher fire first jada sex teacher
adult amateur cam web adult amateur cam web
adult party plan adult party plan
male erotic picture male erotic picture
adult party plan adult party plan
fucking lesbian old young fucking lesbian old young
male erotic picture male erotic picture
adult cam free web adult cam free web
free porn pregnant teen free porn pregnant teen
dating experience gay i in liked online profile dating experience gay i in liked online profile
grase porn poze grase porn poze
best porn woman best porn woman
download free indian porn movie download free indian porn movie
asian anal hardcore sex asian anal hardcore sex
adult code myspace adult code myspace
lesbian ass lick lesbian ass lick
adult code myspace adult code myspace
anschauen bilder gratis porn anschauen bilder gratis porn
best database porn star best database porn star
mature plump big tit mature plump big tit
boob busty huge pussy tit boob busty huge pussy tit
woman with anal sex toy woman with anal sex toy
free sex toy free sex toy
anal school girl anal school girl
big young gay cock big young gay cock
lesbian ass lick lesbian ass lick
nude lesbian nude lesbian
young latinas anal young latinas anal
nude lesbian nude lesbian
amateur porn web site amateur porn web site
young latinas anal young latinas anal
adult birthday party supply adult birthday party supply
adult entertainment picture adult entertainment picture
acne adult clear confidence guide healing self skin acne adult clear confidence guide healing self skin
free adult cyber sex chat free adult cyber sex chat
amy futurama porn amy futurama porn
adult clearance dvd adult clearance dvd
adult video chat adult video chat
Nikola said,
April 11, 2008 at 1:45 am
Another solution: light one rope from both ends and let it burn for 30 minutes; then light another rope from both ends and in the middle and let it burn for 15 minutes.
Justin said,
July 15, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Everybody is wrong.
1. Cut one rope in half
2. light one of the halves on both ends
3. At the same time light on end of the whole rope
4. The halve will burn out in 15 minutes
5. Put out the flame on the whole rope when the half rope is finished burning
6. You are now left with exactly 45 mins of rope
Justin said,
July 15, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Correction: burn both halves at both ends
Travis said,
August 24, 2008 at 7:01 am
Justin learn to read it clearly says “two ropes, lighter, no other equipment” unless you plan on gnawing the rope theres no way you can CUT it…
Rachael said,
March 13, 2009 at 6:10 am
cut it with the lighter by burning it in the middle.
Iniffurseni said,
March 20, 2009 at 5:59 am
very intresting
Patrick said,
September 2, 2009 at 10:04 am
I’m pretty sure the first solution is the only way to do it
nitij said,
October 7, 2009 at 9:21 am
Bullshit..all confused piece of meat……none of these are answers…for sure …all confusing and doesnt worth even to pay brain in !!!