Bite-sized brain teaser to solve in a minute or less.
The Overlapping Schedules
Three friends—Anna, Ben, and Clara—plan to meet for a movie, but each has commitments earlier in the day:
- Anna: "I’ll arrive 15 minutes later than Ben."
- Ben: "I’ll be there 10 minutes after Clara."
- Clara: "I’ll arrive at 2:30 pm."
If the movie starts at 3:00 pm, who arrives with the least time to spare before the movie?
Solution
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Clara’s arrival: Clara explicitly states she will arrive at 2:30 pm. Ben’s arrival: Ben says he’ll arrive 10 minutes after Clara, so Ben arrives at 2:40 pm. Anna’s arrival: Anna says she’ll arrive 15 minutes later than Ben, so Anna arrives at 2:55 pm. Since the movie starts at 3:00 pm, Anna has 5 minutes to spare, Ben has 10 minutes to spare, and Clara has 20 minutes to spare. Anna arrives with the least time to spare before the movie. |
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