Page 1 of 1
algebra 2 problem.. help?
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2002 10:47 pm
by Mehmet
a watchmaker repaired a watch only to switch the hour and minute hands. when the customer came to pick up the watch, it correctly showed 2 o'clock. When is the next time the watch will show the correct time?
Is this a trick question?
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2002 11:09 pm
by littletechgirl
If it is not military time which it could not be (otherwise this problem could not be) and when the customer came in it said 2:00 on the hour exactly then never it will always be 12 hours ahead. or the answer would be the next time they take the watch in to be repaired.
I think this is a trick question.....lol
this is not an algebra question this is a riddle...lol
We narrowed it down to this
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2002 11:12 pm
by terrancelam
Givens:
2:00pm set time,
Minute hand switched with Hour hand,
(Thus for every passed hour, the watch actually only moves by 5 minute increments),
1 hour = 60 minutes,
24 hours = 1 day,
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2002 11:15 pm
by littletechgirl
But in 24 hours it will be 2 o'clock again and as stated in the question that is the correct time BUT it was changed by the watch repair guy to that time.
But it says even though he switched the hands "it still read the correct time." so....if it has the right time what is the problem?
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2002 11:15 pm
by TEH WIN
1 hour = 5 minutes
60 minutes = 12 hours
thats... as far as i can figure it out, lol
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2002 11:34 pm
by Mehmet
heres what i narrowed it down to:
alright so, the actual time at 2:00, is 12:10. which is a difference of 1:50.. now, in order for it to display the correct time, (which means looks right, but isnt really what tim it is) it has to be 3:05 on the fake clock and 1:15 on the real time.. which is also a difference of 1:50..
what ya guys think?
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2002 11:43 pm
by brembo
If I understand, I think...not sure, but the smallest common denominator is gonna be 1/12th of a "time unit". So, 2 hours. The minute hand will have moved to the 4 o'clock position and the hour hand will be at 12 'o clock.....4 o'clock. I think thats right.
Oh hell no thats not right...dang it.....
Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2002 12:00 am
by Philip
for every hour that passes, it's going to look like 5 minutes have passed on the "new" clock (although the hour hand will move a full circle in between)...
It is going to
look correct every 65 minutes, imho (3:05, 4:10, 5:15, etc.). Now you "only" have to do the math and prove it
