16Hit1600
Advanced MathHardHalving time for a cooling cup

Advanced Math practice question

The amount by which a cup of coffee's temperature exceeds room temperature halves every 10 minutes. If the excess is 80°C now, after how many minutes will the excess be 10°C?

Answer: 30

80 → 40 → 20 → 10 is three halvings, or 30 minutes.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 8
8 is 80 ÷ 10.
If you answered 40
40 is four halvings, reaching 5°C.
If you answered 70
70 subtracts 10 from 80 as if the excess fell by 10 each period.

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