Telling Time with Fuses

Can you figure out how to measure time using lengths of fuses?

burning_fuses You have some fuses, each of which burns for exactly one hour, but unevenly; that is, half a length of fuse does not necessarily burn for half an hour. You have as many fuses and matches as you want.

How can you use these to measure 45 minutes?

Make up some puzzles like these and send them in with your solutions. We will post them in the SEED Science Center.

Course:

Math [1]
Algebra [2]

Result/Solution(s)

Solution: Telling Time with Fuses Math Puzzle

Here's how we solved the problem:

Take two fuses. Light one at both ends and the second at one end. As soon as the first burns out, light the second at the other end. Forty-five minutes will have elapsed when the second fuse burns out.

math [3]
Algebra [4]
Algebra puzzle [5]