Brain Teasers
Ill-Equipped Laboratory
You are working in a lab and you need to prop up a beaker of water so that its base is exactly 17" above the table (don't worry about why). Besides the beaker, the only objects in the lab are a yardstick and five phone books, at 1", 3", 4", 5", and 6" thick each.
How do you arrange the books so that you can prop up the beaker at the correct height?
How do you arrange the books so that you can prop up the beaker at the correct height?
Hint
If you're stuck then you're forgetting something very important. Remember - these are BOOKS, not blocks of wood.Answer
Simply pile up all of the books except the 1" one. This will give you 18 inches. Open the top book, turning 1" worth of pages. Use the yardstick to verify the height.If you want to be really technical, you should actually open the bottom book, because the bulge caused by the open book will then be flattened by the other books.
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