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Marbles Bonanza (Posted on 2003-09-08) Difficulty: 4 of 5
You have an empty container, and an infinite number of marbles, each numbered with an integer from 1 to infinity.

At the start of the minute, you put marbles 1 - 10 into the container, then remove one of the marbles and throw it away. You do this again after 30 seconds, then again in 15 seconds, and again in 7.5 seconds. You continuosly repeat this process, each time after half as long an interval as the time before, until the minute is over.

Since this means that you repeated the process an infinite number of times, you have "processed" all your marbles.

How many marbles are in the container at the end of the minute if for every repetition (numbered N)

A. You remove the marble numbered (10 * N)

B. You remove the marble numbered (N)

See The Solution Submitted by levik    
Rating: 3.6154 (13 votes)

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
Puzzle ThoughtsK Sengupta2023-03-17 23:47:52
No SubjectGeorge Ambrose2022-10-12 04:02:54
No SubjectAston Cargo2022-10-12 03:06:32
No SubjectAston Cargo2022-10-12 03:05:52
No Subjectkuja2007-08-08 04:58:56
chasing infinity theoryDaniel2006-07-03 20:08:52
Some Thoughtssomething I once heard...Adam2006-03-10 04:43:59
re(2): Most certainly not Zero.Hugo2006-01-30 14:31:00
re(2): Most certainly not Zero.David Bernat2006-01-30 11:54:00
re: Most certainly not Zero.thegnome542006-01-29 21:48:44
Most certainly not Zero.David Bernat2006-01-17 17:02:11
Zero, Nada, Zilch.Mark2006-01-12 04:36:39
The answer is ZeroMark2006-01-12 04:32:46
they're in therejamie2005-10-19 00:05:22
SolutionThe marbles that are still in the jar...David Bernat2005-09-13 17:54:41
This is all a bit too confusing...Somebody2005-06-23 09:46:26
re(2): The solution isn't...Ken Haley2005-06-23 03:52:19
re: The solution isn't...Tristan2005-06-22 01:03:08
The solution isn't...Ken Haley2005-06-21 04:21:02
No SubjectBrian2004-11-21 19:08:39
Some ThoughtsBoth infiniteJon2004-09-10 05:01:52
duhNichole2004-06-11 21:32:59
re: Integer infinityBarrett Hasseldine2004-03-21 21:46:06
Some ThoughtsInteger infinityJeff2003-12-29 20:56:56
re(2): solutionJohn2003-12-24 19:29:11
re: questionBrian Wainscott2003-12-11 17:01:55
questionben2003-12-10 19:52:23
re: solutionCory Taylor2003-11-19 09:51:18
solutionAndy2003-11-18 17:50:17
SolutionsolutionJoe C2003-11-05 14:29:22
Infinite - infiniteChaz2003-11-04 19:17:00
newbie guessing - and I haven't read comments so my apologies if you've already covered thise2003-10-09 19:21:14
re: What if I remove two marbles each time?SilverKnight2003-09-22 12:20:51
What if I remove two marbles each time?Dacre2003-09-22 10:27:51
re: wheeSilverKnight2003-09-19 03:06:10
wheeCory Taylor2003-09-19 02:36:07
re: finallySilverKnight2003-09-18 12:09:49
finallyCory Taylor2003-09-18 11:07:00
re:SilverKnight2003-09-18 00:08:17
No SubjectCory Taylor2003-09-17 22:54:54
re(2): circlesSilverKnight2003-09-17 04:42:04
re: circlesCory Taylor2003-09-16 18:47:01
circlesCory Taylor2003-09-16 18:46:11
re: a functional equivalentBrian Wainscott2003-09-16 17:36:41
re(5): moreSilverKnight2003-09-16 09:13:29
re(4): moreCory Taylor2003-09-15 23:11:20
re(3): moreSilverKnight2003-09-15 15:34:46
re(2): moreCory Taylor2003-09-15 14:49:05
re: a functional equivalentSilverKnight2003-09-15 13:42:59
a functional equivalentCory Taylor2003-09-15 13:38:34
re(2): moreCory Taylor2003-09-15 12:27:55
re: moreSilverKnight2003-09-15 12:14:24
re: moreBrian Wainscott2003-09-15 12:08:16
moreCory Taylor2003-09-15 11:38:44
Some ThoughtsThe solutiongabbo2003-09-14 02:53:11
re(4): How about this variation? Any Input FatBoy?TomM2003-09-12 11:37:09
re(3): How about this variation? Any Input FatBoy?FatBoy2003-09-12 07:32:41
re(2): How about this variation? Any Input FatBoy?Brian Wainscott2003-09-11 19:13:27
re: How about this variation?SilverKnight2003-09-11 01:19:50
QuestionHow about this variation?Brian Wainscott2003-09-10 12:27:25
re: Respectfully, I disagree with someone. Maybe.FatBoy2003-09-10 07:54:39
re(3): My ideas?SilverKnight2003-09-09 22:33:35
re(2): My ideas?Gamer2003-09-09 22:26:21
re: My ideas?SilverKnight2003-09-09 21:13:01
re: Respectfully, I disagree with someone. Maybe.SilverKnight2003-09-09 21:04:42
re: My ideas?Brian Wainscott2003-09-09 18:27:10
My ideas?Gamer2003-09-09 18:16:02
Respectfully, I disagree with someone. Maybe.Sam2003-09-09 16:29:34
re(7): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)SilverKnight2003-09-09 14:58:36
re(6): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)FatBoy2003-09-09 14:40:44
re(5): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)Brian Wainscott2003-09-09 13:18:29
re(4): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)FatBoy2003-09-09 12:23:49
re(3): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)SilverKnight2003-09-09 12:07:40
re(2): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)FatBoy2003-09-09 11:52:42
Respectifully I disagree with most (save perhaps SK and Sam)Brian Wainscott2003-09-09 11:32:58
re: Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)SilverKnight2003-09-09 11:23:43
Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)FatBoy2003-09-09 11:05:26
Theoretical possibilitiesSam2003-09-09 10:47:18
re: Defining InfinitySilverKnight2003-09-09 10:47:06
Defining InfinityBrian Smith2003-09-09 09:59:51
Some Thoughtsre(2): InterestinglyBrian Wainscott2003-09-09 00:24:07
I lost my marblesEric2003-09-08 23:34:58
Some Thoughtsre: InterestinglyDJ2003-09-08 22:58:25
Interestinglysam2003-09-08 22:24:34
SolutionMy ideasGamer2003-09-08 15:50:53
SolutionSolutionBrian Wainscott2003-09-08 15:16:16
SolutionSolution (I think)SilverKnight2003-09-08 14:44:25
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