Where Should You Place 8 Marks on a Blank 36 cm Ruler?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the problem of placing 8 marks on a blank 36 cm ruler in such a way that all full centimeter values from 1 to 36 cm can be read directly from the ruler. The conversation includes various proposed placements of the marks and the reasoning behind them.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest placing marks at regular intervals, such as every centimeter or every 4 cm.
  • One participant proposes a set of marks at 0.5 cm, 1.0 cm, 3.0 cm, 6.0 cm, 10.0 cm, 15.0 cm, 21.0 cm, and 28.0 cm as a guess.
  • Another participant questions how to measure certain lengths (like 3 cm or 5 cm) with specific proposed placements.
  • A different approach involves marking at 1 cm, 3 cm, 6 cm, 13 cm, 20 cm, 27 cm, 31 cm, and 35 cm, suggesting this configuration might allow for measuring all required lengths.
  • Some participants express uncertainty or confusion about how to achieve the goal with their proposed marks.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the placement of the marks, with multiple competing views and approaches presented throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants express various assumptions about how marks can be used to measure lengths, and there are unresolved questions about the effectiveness of certain proposed placements in achieving the goal of measuring all full centimeter values.

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With a blank ruler (without marks) of exactly 36 cm you can only measure 36 cm. Now you are allowed to set 8 marks so that you can read off all full centimeter values from 1 to 36 cm directly from the ruler.

Where must these 8 marks be?
 
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At the beginning, and a centimeter apart each, is my guess.
 
Originally posted by Mentat
At the beginning, and a centimeter apart each, is my guess.

You can only have eight marks
 
You place the firts mark at 4 cm and then following 4 cm after. Therefore, you have a mark at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32.
 
0,5 cm
1,0 cm
3,0 cm
6,0 cm
10,0 cm
15,0 cm
21,0 cm
28,0 cm

just guessing [?]
 
No idea. Every 4.5 centimeters?


Also to point out about the last brain teaser, I would have said compressed gasses (as it seems recent planetary science has led to the idea that outter planets would not have enough rocky material that far out to form large rocky cores. Mainly from evidence from exosolar systems, but ultimately I suppose it is the accepted answer).
 
Originally posted by iansmith
You place the firts mark at 4 cm and then following 4 cm after. Therefore, you have a mark at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32.

How do you measure 3cm or 5cm then?
 
maybe it's time for another wild guess, how about:

1,0 cm
2,0 cm
3,0 cm
4,0 cm
5,0 cm
6,0 cm
7,0 cm
8,0 cm

together they add up to 36 cm
 
First at 18 in the middle
Then at 9
At 4.5
Divide that space in 3 so you have 1.5 and 3.0
And divide the 3.0 marking into 3 as well.
 
  • #10
*after you have the first centimetre then you can copy the 1 cm length over the ruler to measure everything
 
  • #11
Originally posted by cytokinesis
First at 18 in the middle
Then at 9
At 4.5
Divide that space in 3 so you have 1.5 and 3.0
And divide the 3.0 marking into 3 as well.

all full centimeter values from 1 to 36 cm directly from the ruler. how do you find 5cm?
after you have the first centimetre then you can copy the 1 cm length over the ruler to measure everything
Nah, that's cheating, you must be able to read all full centimeter values from 1 to 36 cm directly from the ruler. no copying or using the ruler twice.
 
  • #12
I will mark
1, 3, 6, 13, 20, 27, 31, and 35 centimeters on my ruler.
 
  • #13
Originally posted by Hurkyl
I will mark
1, 3, 6, 13, 20, 27, 31, and 35 centimeters on my ruler.

Hurkyl wins the point! btw Hurkyl check your pm
 

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