Logic Problem

[Diesel]

There are 2 pieces of rope. The length and width of the two pieces are not neccessarily the same. Both pieces are inconsistent in width (ex. the middle may be thicker than the ends). Each piece of rope take exactly 1 hour to burn. By burning both pieces of rope, how do you measure 45 minutes of time?

Hint: Since the ropes are of inconsistent width, burning half of a rope does not mean that 1/2 hour has passed.

 

[Diesel]

Btw, has anyone entered the google code jam contest?

 

[DiverDan]

Can I use a clock to measure 45 minutes of time?

 

[neodammer]

I didnt catch if they weighed the same but weighing them at the beginning etc.. and the weighting how much was burned may work.

 

[Joe Mamma]

Btw, has anyone entered the google code jam contest?

I wish someone might have mentioned this BEFORE the registration ended!!!!

 

[Joe Mamma]

oh yeah. . .

Ignite both ends of Rope1, Ignite one end of Rope2.

When Rope1 is exhausted (thirty minutes), Ignite other end of Rope2 (now a thirty minute rope) which will exhaust now in 15 minutes.

 

[Diesel]

Nailed it.

Yeh, the google code jam contest is pretty cool...but I'm assuming most people entering have a library of problems that they reference during the contest. My library is only about a dozen problems right now, so I'll be working on raw coding power. So I'm expecting to get my *** handed to me.

 

[thenerd]

Whoa, why didn't I hear about that?