Subscribe
How many minutes is it until 6 am if 50 minutes ago it was 4x as many minutes past 3 am?
[Will unmask submitted answers in 1 day]
Share This Post:![[Slashdot]](http://www.smart-kit.com/wp-content/uploads/_graphics/slashdot-big.png)
![[Reddit]](http://www.smart-kit.com/wp-content/uploads/_graphics/reddit-big.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.smart-kit.com/wp-content/uploads/_graphics/facebook-icon.gif){kind=icon}
![[Google]](http://www.smart-kit.com/wp-content/uploads/_graphics/google-bookmark-big.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.smart-kit.com/wp-content/uploads/_graphics/stumble-big.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.smart-kit.com/wp-content/uploads/_graphics/digg-big.png)
“Crazy Hours”- Clock Time Puzzle
January 31st, 2008 |
Filed under: Brain Teasers and Puzzles, Math Puzzles
If I did my math right, it’s 26 minutes until 6 a.m.
x is the number of minutes.
4x is four times that number.
50 is the time between x and 4x.
180 is the total number of minutes between 3 and 6.
So…
x + 4x + 50 = 180
5x + 50 = 180
5x = 130
x =26
26
From NOW to 6 a.m.
x mins (Lets Assume)
Then From 3 a.m. to NOW
4x + 50 mins
(50 mins ago it was 4 times the mins)
Total = 6-3 = 3 hrs = 180 mins
So 4x + 50 + x = 180
=> 5x = 130
=> x = 26 mins.
So 26 mins. to 6 a.m. OR 5:34 a.m.
It is 26 minutes until 6:00 a.m. or 5:34 a.m.
180-x-50=4x
130-x=4x
130=5x
26=x
6:00a.m - 26 minutes = 5:34
3:00a.m. + 4(26 minutes) = 4:44 (104 minutes past 3:00)
104 is 4x greater than 26
26 minutes to 06:00
Convert times to number of minutes -> 03:00 becomes 180, 06:00 becomes 360
180 + 4x = 360 - 50 - x
5x = 130
x = 26
180min - 50min = 130min
130min / 5 = 26min
So 26 minutes until 6 am.
Counting minutes from midnight: 6am = 360 minutes, 3am = 180 minutes.
Let y = current time
Let x = minutes before 6am
360 - x = y
y - 50 = 180 + 4x
(360 - x) - 50 = 180 + 4x
310 - x = 180 + 4x
310 - 180 = 4x + x
130 = 5x
26 = x
26 minutes
Nice puzzle, I think the solution is 94 minutes until 6 am. Explanation:
Y= Number of minutes past 3am
Z= Number of minutes until 6 am—-> the answer to the problem
X= Number of minutes past 3 am when there are 4X minutes until 6 am that were 50 minutes ago
Equations:
1) Z= 180 - Y
2) X= Y - 50
3) 5X=180–> X= 36
from 2) Y=86
From 1) Z=94 min
yes, 26 minutes until 6 am. Several good explanations above.
This one was difficult.
@suineg: hmmm, very interesting solution… are you born in 1977, male gender and do you like wearing black T-shirts with white letters or numbers on it?
@RK: Also interesting: Everybody submitted his answer at the same time. That´s realllllllly synchronized ! Yes!
But I think, that was the time when you unmasked the answers.
Suineg may have eaten too much of the Olla Podrida
he hardly ever gets these kinds of questions wrong
@ RK:
Like Jerome Kerviel or Raoul Duke…? Maybe Dr.Gonzo? Alltogether would be…well…very trippy…
I did it Ari’s way which is quite simple. This site needs more challenging mathematical puzzles. I rate this one middle school level.
Some AMC12 or AIME level problems would be nice. Some of the easier USAMO and maybe IMO might be fun.
Hi Tommy- I’ll try to work on getting some math puzzles at that difficulty level. If you know anyone who might be willing to write some challenging problems for us, let me know info@smart-kit.com (we can pay per puzzle). thanks
yes too much Olla Podrida jajaja, my X was defined wrong, it was 4X past 3 am and X until 6 am and 50 minutes ago, goes before the X factor WoW tripping into mddle school mathematical problems jajajajajajaja
i did not understand something: 50 minutes ago (from now–>the answer)
it was 4x as many minutes past 3 am than???? until 6?? until Now???
i interpreted the question as that 50 minutes before now it was 4X, X being the time from 50 minutes before Now. Graphically:
[-----4x------][--x--]
————————————————-
3………………………Now……..Now………6
……………………….. - 50………………………
so i do not understand why you substract 50 of 180 that is the difference or the “distance” in minutes from 3 am to 6 am and not from 3 am to Now
Not to worry Suineg; I think the vast majority of middle school students would n’t be able to figure this problem out. Bear in mind, Tommy is kind of good at math- scored in the top 30 in the United States on the national MATHCOUNTS test.
I am 14 years old, in the jhon hopkins institute made me took the SAT and scored in the 99 percentile, not too bad for a foreing student jajaja, but really it was 50 minutes from now, not from 6 am why everybody subtracts the value 50 from 6 am and not from Now–> the answer to the problem.
let check the answer 5:34 am–> 50 minutes ago–> 4:44 am
until 6 —>6:00-4:44=76 minutes
past 3–> 4:44 - 3=104 minutes
I does not make the relationship 4X to X, maybe I am not seen something right.
RK or anybody can please tell me what is wrong about my reasoning, and why my explanation of why this answer does not fit is wrong
There are three total hours. The total time can be separated into x(now till 6), 50(50 minutes ago till now), and 4x(3 till 50 minutes ago). So, x+50+4x=180. Thus, x=26.
I meant middle school math competitions. This probably wouldn’t taught in most middle schools. So, some of the better kids from middle schools. Maybe just the top five percent. I’m sorry if I made anyone feel bad.
Wow, many similarities, but I don’t want to post much personal info online. It would be nice to have a private message feature on this site.
How many minutes is it until 6 am if 50 minutes ago it was 4x as many minutes past 3 am?
Look at the second line of your solution. It should be 6:00-5:34. You probably just misinterpreted the problem.
private messaging is definitely on the to-do list; once the site redesign goes live, this (along with several other nice features) will be added to the ‘profile’ section. Forums should hopefully come next.
26