Interview Q for my internship.. solvable in 60 secs?

Sdrive · #1 03-25-2007, 05:46 PM

So last week I was interviewed for an upcoming financial internship, note that this is for a boutique firm and this question stumped me. This is how the question goes...

Imagine that you are given 2 minutes to run 2 miles. Say you ran the first mile at 30mph, how fast (in mph) must the second mile be completed in?

I completely froze and the first thing I could blurt out was, " Well first you would do 30/60 because 30 mph and 60 mins in a mile..."

How does everyone else's thought process and answer come to?

f97tosc · #2 03-25-2007, 06:02 PM

30 MPH = 0.5 miles per minute. To complete 1 mile will take you 2 minutes. Hence the task is impossible.

dazraf69 · #3 03-25-2007, 06:07 PM

This is a trick question right? You use up the two min in the first mile? You would need to avg. 60 mph in order to do the 2 miles in 2 min but with the min being i think 45 mph? The absolute min or max to do this for speeds would require some calc and derivatives.

If you are traveling at 30 mph, then you are traveling at .5 mp/min, so one mile 2 min.

dazraf69 · #4 03-25-2007, 06:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
30 MPH = 0.5 miles per minute. To complete 1 mile will take you 2 minutes. Hence the task is impossible.

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lol beat me to it

stinkypete · #5 03-25-2007, 06:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]
This is a trick question right? You use up the two min in the first mile? You would need to avg. 60 mph in order to do the 2 miles in 2 min but with the min being i think 45 mph? The absolute min or max to do this for speeds would require some calc and derivatives.

[/ QUOTE ]

uhh... not sure what you're getting at here but you're wrong

stinkypete · #6 03-25-2007, 06:35 PM

this is easily solvable in 60 seconds. it really shouldn't take you more than about 10-15.

Sdrive · #7 03-25-2007, 06:40 PM

[ QUOTE ]
this is easily solvable in 60 seconds. it really shouldn't take you more than about 10-15.

[/ QUOTE ]

so wat're you saying the answer is??

stinkypete · #8 03-25-2007, 06:50 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
this is easily solvable in 60 seconds. it really shouldn't take you more than about 10-15.

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so wat're you saying the answer is??

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it's been posted already. the first mile takes 2 minutes. its impossible.

dazraf69 · #9 03-25-2007, 06:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This is a trick question right? You use up the two min in the first mile? You would need to avg. 60 mph in order to do the 2 miles in 2 min but with the min being i think 45 mph? The absolute min or max to do this for speeds would require some calc and derivatives.

[/ QUOTE ]

uhh... not sure what you're getting at here but you're wrong

[/ QUOTE ]

What part, you would have to avg 60mph, as for the min max, thats all relative.

stinkypete · #10 03-25-2007, 06:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
This is a trick question right? You use up the two min in the first mile? You would need to avg. 60 mph in order to do the 2 miles in 2 min but with the min being i think 45 mph? The absolute min or max to do this for speeds would require some calc and derivatives.

[/ QUOTE ]

uhh... not sure what you're getting at here but you're wrong

[/ QUOTE ]

What part, you would have to avg 60mph, as for the min max, thats all relative.

[/ QUOTE ]

there is no min or max. you can go backwards at 1000000mph for a minute and then forward at 1000120mph and complete it in time. i'm not sure why you're even interested in the "min max".