A candlemaker can create 1 brand-new candle by melting down the leftover wax stubs of 3 burned candles. If an order arrives for 9 brand-new candles, what is the maximum total number of candles that can eventually be burned?
13 candles
Burn the original 9 candles to get 9 stubs. Melt those 9 stubs into 3 new candles. Burn those 3 candles to get 3 stubs. Melt those 3 stubs into 1 final candle and burn it. In total, 9 + 3 + 1 = 13 candles are burned.
About this riddle
Math riddles hide a calculation inside a short story. Pull out the numbers, work out what is being asked, and watch for a trick such as a unit change.
Difficulty: Easy. More like this: Math riddles with answers or try Target 24 for a different kind of puzzle.
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