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➡ Can You Solve the Burning Rope Riddle?
Popular Mechanics ^
| May 15, 2025
| Staff
Posted on 05/15/2025 9:41:05 PM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Responsibility2nd
Fold them in half... fold them a second time. Tie them together where a matching end fold was. Light the longer free ends of both. When the burns hits the knot... 45 minutes.
41
posted on
05/16/2025 1:27:19 PM PDT
by
Dead Corpse
(A Psalm in napalm...)
To: Larry Lucido
“Burn one rope at both ends, and light the second rope at one end. The first rope will burn through in a half hour and the second rope will burn halfway through.”
Rope 1 — Yes, regardless of local burn rates, the rope will burn through in 30 minutes.
Rope 2 — No. The second rope could burn through 90% in that 30 minutes. Or it could burn through 10% in that 30 minutes. So you have no way of knowing if Rope #2 will burn halfway through.
42
posted on
05/16/2025 1:29:59 PM PDT
by
ProtectOurFreedom
(“Diversity is our Strength” just doesn’t carry the same message as “Death from Above”)
To: Magnum44
You wrote “it’s explained in 7”
How do you figure that?
“Burn one rope at both ends, and light the second rope at one end. The first rope will burn through in a half hour and the second rope will burn halfway through.”
Rope 1 — Yes, regardless of local burn rates, the rope will burn through in 30 minutes.
Rope 2 — No. The second rope could burn through 90% in that 30 minutes. Or it could burn through 10% in that 30 minutes. So you have no way of knowing how long it will take Rope #2 to burn halfway through.
43
posted on
05/16/2025 1:31:28 PM PDT
by
ProtectOurFreedom
(“Diversity is our Strength” just doesn’t carry the same message as “Death from Above”)
To: ProtectOurFreedom
It’s not length that matters, it’s time. No matter which end you start, it takes 1 hour to burn. If you start at both ends it takes half the time. So if one rope has burned for 30 minutes, there is only 30 minutes left. With both ends burning, only 15 minutes left. This is basic algebra guys.
44
posted on
05/16/2025 2:17:27 PM PDT
by
Magnum44
(...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
To: ProtectOurFreedom
“Can the ropes transition to steel cable? ”
Anyone against this transition is a hater.
A anti trans steel hater.
To: Magnum44
7 is not an answer because it violates the problem.
46
posted on
05/16/2025 3:32:09 PM PDT
by
CodeToad
To: CodeToad
Please don’t be ignorant. And if you are going to be ignorant, don’t infect others.
47
posted on
05/16/2025 4:03:23 PM PDT
by
Magnum44
(...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
To: Magnum44
Then you’ll need to stay off the Internet.
48
posted on
05/16/2025 5:02:12 PM PDT
by
CodeToad
To: Magnum44
No, you cannot say half the rope burns in half the time since the problem says the burn rate is not linear.
49
posted on
05/16/2025 5:03:23 PM PDT
by
CodeToad
To: CodeToad
I am trying not to call you the idiot you are being. I said if the rope takes 1 hour to burn and it’s been burning for 30 minutes, then it has 30 minutes to go.-
50
posted on
05/16/2025 5:07:35 PM PDT
by
Magnum44
(...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
To: Larry Lucido
”Burn one rope at both ends, and light the second rope at one end. The first rope will burn through in a half hour and the second rope will burn halfway through it’s total allotted time of one hour. Leaving 30 minutes .The second rope therefore has half of its allotted time left (30 minutes). By starting it burning from its other end, it will be totally consumed in 15 minutes. Bringing the total passage of time to 45 minutes. FIFY
The only main difference is that you stated “the second rope will burn halfway through.” That left it unclear whether you meant halfway through by length or by time. Of course, you meant by time.
51
posted on
05/16/2025 6:43:43 PM PDT
by
HandyDandy
(“Borders, language and culture.” Michael Savage)
To: Magnum44
It’s not length that matters, it’s time.That’s what she said.
52
posted on
05/16/2025 6:51:36 PM PDT
by
HandyDandy
(“Borders, language and culture.” Michael Savage)
To: Red Badger
Oh... That’s not the burning rope trick that I know... And you don’t want to.
53
posted on
05/16/2025 6:53:50 PM PDT
by
Bullish
(I've never seen such morons... Have you?)
To: Magnum44
54
posted on
05/16/2025 6:58:31 PM PDT
by
shotgun
To: ProtectOurFreedom
“
So you have no way of knowing if Rope #2 will burn halfway through. He means halfway through by time! Leaving 30 minutes total for whatever length is left. Burning that remainder from both ends leaves 15 minutes total time.
55
posted on
05/16/2025 7:05:56 PM PDT
by
HandyDandy
(“Borders, language and culture.” Michael Savagefteft)
To: HereInTheHeartland
56
posted on
05/16/2025 8:17:26 PM PDT
by
ProtectOurFreedom
(“Diversity is our Strength” just doesn’t carry the same message as “Death from Above”)
To: Qwapisking
Does England have a 4th of July?
57
posted on
05/16/2025 8:23:50 PM PDT
by
eyedigress
(Trump is my President!)
To: Qwapisking
If you’re going down a river in a wire canoe, and one of your wheels falls off, how many pancakes does it take to cover a doghouse?
58
posted on
05/16/2025 8:36:15 PM PDT
by
Some Fat Guy in L.A.
(Still bitterly clinging to rational thought despite its unfashionability)
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