Brain Teasers
The Rushed Carpenter
A carpenter was in a terrible hurry. He had to work as quickly as possible to cut a very heavy 10 foot plank into 10 equal sections. If it takes 1 minute per cut, how long will it take him to get the 10 equal pieces?
Answer
9 minutes. It only takes 9 cuts to get 10 equal sections.Hide Answer Show Answer
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Comments
My 6 year old could have gotten this one.
It would have been a more interesting teaser if, instead of a very heavy plank, it had been a light one, so that it could reasonably be assumed that cutting several thicknesses of it would take no longer than cutting one (or just a little more). In such a case the answer would be 5 minutes (or more than 5 but less than 9).
I like it! I heard it before, so I knew it was nine, but when I first did it before, I thought it was 10!!!
that shood be a trick... or is it just me?
i could have been 4 cuts, but 9 works too.
Follow up - my 6 year old is now 23 and would now realize the answer is 5 cuts - 1 cut in half, stack the planks and 4 cuts make ten equal pieces. Not sure how 4 cuts would do it?
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