Problem #PRU-100431

Problems Discrete Mathematics Algorithm Theory

Problem

A candle that burns out completely in one hour costs \(60\) pence, and a candle that lasts for \(11\) minutes is worth \(11\) pence. For some reasons which he doesn’t want to explain to the seller Mr. Fawkes wants to measure \(1\) minute with some of these candles. Can he manage to do that if he has only \(1\) pound and \(50\) pence to spend on the candles?
Mr. Fawkes can only measure the whole interval with each of the candles. He is not guaranteed that any of the candles burns uniformly, so he cannot divide it into two parts. He cannot make it burn faster by igniting them from both ends, but he can extinguish a candle and light it up again later.