Replies to post #1815 on The Jailhouse (JAIL)

[Joemoney]

How in the hell does that have anything to do with stocks or society in general?

[Phil(Hot Rod Chevy)]

sara,

How can you use them to tell when forty-five minutes have elapsed?

When three quarters of each of the candles have burned?

You never said how long each candle was or what the "burn rate" was.



Have fun,
Phil

[Mark Marcellus]

Okay, I can't stand letting this hang

Start one candle burning at both ends and the other at one end. When the first candle burns out, light the other end of the second one.

Note that this is not 100% certain to be correct, but it's the best I can do in 20 minutes. You have to assume that, whatever the variation in rates, lighting at both ends will halve the burn time at whatever point in time you choose to do it. Since the method is "mysterious" (and especially since measurement is of no use) there is no way of being sure it will.

[Phil(Hot Rod Chevy)]

Mary,

I just thought of a new answer.

There is no way to answer your question, because you have posted enough information.

Have fun,
Phil