How long would it take him?

A cyclist rode a mile in three minutes with the wind, and returned in four minutes against the wind. Assuming that he always applies the same force to the pedals, how long would it take him to cycle a mile on a windless day?

REVEAL THE ANSWER

If he can cycle a mile in three minutes with the wind, he could go 1 1/3 miles in four minutes. He returns against the wind in the same four minutes, so he could go 2 1/3 miles in eight minutes, with the wind helping exactly half the time and hindering him for the other half. So, the wind can be ignored, and we conclude that on a windless day he could go 2 1/3 miles in eight minutes, or one mile in 3 and 3/7 minutes. It is incorrect to halve the total time to obtain an average speed, because one way the wind helps the cyclist for three minutes, and the other way it hinders him for four minutes. So, if you said 3 1/2 minutes, you were wrong.

Share on Facebook
Tweet
Follow us
Share

Cracked that riddle, did you? Fantastic work! But the fun doesn’t stop here. Ready to tackle another? Find more riddles to solve right…

  • Whose name did the Inspector write down?

    Will Ketchum settled into his chair as Sergeant Zupp came into his office. “‘Have all three arrived, Hans?” he asked.Sergeant Zupp nodded. “They all agreed to come and answer a few questions. The storeowner objected at first, but the cab driver and the painter were willing enough.”‘Inspector Ketchum looked pleased. “If one of them is…

    Crack the Code >>

  • How can you explain

    Carl Jones introduced Roger Smith to his friend as his ‘Uncle Roger’. Roger Smith introduced Carl Jones to his friend as his ‘Uncle Carl’. “If you are uncles to each other,” queried one of the friends, “you must also be nephews to each other.” “That’s correct,” replied Carl. Since there has been no breach of…

    Crack the Code >>

  • What day?

    You have an appointment to meet your friend the logic professor during the winter holidays when she is on vacation. Today is Friday. She has told you to meet her two days after the day before the day after tomorrow. What day does she expect you?

    Crack the Code >>

Embrace the Challenge: Sign Up for Our Riddle Newsletter!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name
Email