THE STOP-WATCH.
(
Money Puzzles)
We have here a stop-watch with three hands. The second hand, which
travels once round the face in a minute, is the one with the little ring
at its end near the centre. Our dial indicates the exact time when its
owner stopped the watch. You will notice that the three hands are nearly
equidistant. The hour and minute hands point to spots that are exactly a
third of the circumference apart, but the second hand is a little too
advanced. An exact equidistance for the three hands is not possible.
Now, we want to know what the time will be when the three hands are next
at exactly the same distances as shown from one another. Can you state
the time?
Answer:
The time indicated on the watch was 5+5/11 min. past 9, when the second
hand would be at 27+3/11 sec. The next time the hands would be similar
distances apart would be 54+6/11 min. past 2, when the second hand would
be at 32+8/11 sec. But you need only hold the watch (or our previous
illustration of it) in front of a mirror, when you will see the second
time reflected in it! Of course, when reflected, you will read XI as I,
X as II, and so on.
