Chime spacing

Probability Level pending

A clock tower has a bell that rings out every hour of the day--for example, 3 chimes at 3 PM, etc. These hourly tolls are spaced 1.5 seconds apart. The clock also chimes once at each half hour.

What is the overall average number of minutes between chimes?

Consider the lengths of the tolls themselves to be instantaneous.


The answer is 8.

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2 solutions

Jeremy Galvagni
Apr 21, 2018

The 1.5 1.5 seconds is a red herring. Every 12 12 hours there are 12 13 / 2 + 12 = 90 12*13/2 + 12 = 90 peals in 12 60 = 720 12*60 = 720 minutes.

Divide these and you get 8 8 minutes per chime.

Saya Suka
Apr 3, 2021

Answer
= (12 × 60) / [(12 × (12 + 1) / 2) + 12]
= 12 × 60 / 90
= 8 minutes


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