Grrr..
You are in a room with two candles and you are given the information that the candles will burn for one hour each. You have to tell me when it is 90 mins?
I asked this question to two people and they weren't able to solve it. When I told them the answer they really pissed me off but making really stupid arguments that their answers were also right.
I get really irritated when people argue illogically... I get really really mad when people cant see logic. I have put up this question to see whether people can really appreciate the beauty of this answer.
Lets see how many answers I get.
PS1: I didn't think of this puzzle all by myself. I heard this from my friend who said it was asked in a HR interview.
PS2: I don't have a problem with wrong answers... the problem is with stupid arguments saying that it is correct.
posted by logic @ 9/01/2006 11:07:00 AM
15 Comments:
If I were you, I'll use my trutworthy omnipresent wrist watch:D Logical, ain't it? Why use candles, when you have a much more accurate form of timing?:D
@yuvi:
Lol yuvi.. i came now to say the samething..
@logic:
did u mean wrist watch da?
Do you guys wanna know the correct answer?
Hmmm.. Light one candle and when it burns out, light another one and wait till it is done half way? Do let me know the solution.
Well, I don't think that would be a better solution. When you light a candle normally, the wick's heat is dissipated into the candle and hence the wax melts. But when a candle is lit on both sides, the candle has to be laid horizontally. Which means that the flame will touch the wax directly. Hence, the candle will melt faster as the wick dissipates heat and the flame directly melts the candle. So, I think, the better solution is to measure the candle roughly using your fingers and wait for the second candle to melt half way.
What do you say? ;-)
Hmmm maybe. But, if it is not scientific, don't you think it is simpler to measure it with your finger and get a rough estimate? I think it would be more accurate than burning it on both sides. ;-) Anyways, I'll think about the 45 min question and get back to you. Is that also logical?
I give up! What is the answer? It better be logical!
Deeply reflecting upon the problem yesterday evening when the power went out[yet again], I think I found the answer....
First, I assume that they are equal in length, since they burn out at the same time...
So, I lay both candles horizontally, side by side, in opposite direction: The wick of one is near the base of the other.
Light both at the same time. after one hour, the wicks of both the candles will be at the same level. This means that they have burnt off half their wax. and, half an hour has passed from the beginning of the lighting, because the candle lasts one hour, and half the candle lasts half an hour.
At this point, extinguish one candle, and let the other burn fully. After it has finished burning, immediately light the other one. And, when it finishes burning, it's 90 minutes!
Well, I know it's a twisted answer, but anyway... Atleast, it's logical...
Hey, but there's a logicall fallacy in my argument: Matchbox is not mentioned in your problem:D
But, let's keep things as simple as they can and use the wrist watch. Or better yet, walk out:D
correction to the first comment:
>Light both at the same time. after one hour, the wicks of both the candles will be at the same level.
Pardon this small kid, but it should've been
>Light both at the same time. after half an hour, the wicks of both the candles will be at the same level.
Hey yuiv tht was really cool! full marks!!!... though the ans I thought is quite different
hmmm... on second thought i think yours is better than mine :)
woa, I managed to beat logic in logic:D
P.S. Is it the first one, or the second one?:))
actually yuvi,
your answer has the same error component as burning a single canndle on both sides to measure 30 minutes. you *are* burning it qith the candle held horizontally so the wax melt rate will be faster.
@hawkey
Its purely a logical question and nothing scientific so if those HR guys accept burning on both sides than they should also accept yuvi's answer. The only flaw is that he assumes both candles are of same length which according to the HR guys is not.
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