Written by Kerry Dent
Difficulty: Tricky
On the expedition’s small BBQ, only two potato cakes will fit at the same time. If it takes five minutes to cook one side of a potato cake and five minutes to cook the other side, what will be the minimum time required to cook three potato cakes on the BBQ?
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Brainteaser answer
The minimum time required will be 15 minutes. Cook potato cakes A and B for five minutes. After five minutes turn A over, remove B and replace it with C and cook for five minutes. After 10 minutes, remove A, because it’s fully cooked; turn C and put B back on and cook for a further five minutes. After 15 minutes have elapsed, all three potato cakes are cooked.
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