Q. If it was two hours later, it would be half an hour as long until midnight as it will be if it were an hour later. What is the time now?

• I feel the question should have ( half as long as) rather than ( half an hour as long as)
  
  Let the present time be x, the time after one hour is (x+1) and the time after two hours is (x+2), the time at mid night is 12
  The time from one hour later to midnight is 12-(x+1)
  The time from two hours later to midnight is 12-(x+2)
  
  Given, the time from one hour later is twice of the time from two hours later,
  12-(x+1) is twice of 12-(x+2)
  12-x-1 = 24-2x-4
  x=9
  
  The present time is 9.00 pm
  The time after one hour is 10.00 pm( two hours to 12) and the time after two hours is 11.00 pm( one hour to midnight)
  
  The answer is 9.00 pm
• 11 years agoHelpfull: Yes(10) No(7)
• i think the answer is 9.30 ...after two hours time is 11.30 ....
• 9 years agoHelpfull: Yes(5) No(0)
• answer will be 8:30 PM
• 9 years agoHelpfull: Yes(1) No(0)
• 21:00.
  
  If the time was T, then T + 2 is half the minutes to midnight compared with T + 1.
  
  So 1 hour halves the gap.
  
  This can only happen at 10pm and 11pm, which makes the current time 9pm.
• 8 years agoHelpfull: Yes(1) No(0)
• I am getting a lot of dislikes for this question.
  
  Let me clarify why i made the change in the question.
  
  This is a very standard question appearing in many exams and also a question in many puzzle books
  
  If it was two hours later, it would be half as long to midnight as it will be if it were an hour later. What is the time now?
  
  Answer for this one is 9.00 pm
  
  If it was two hours later, it would be half as long to midnight as it will be NOW. What is the time now?
  
  If " one hour later is replaced by now" then the answer will 8.00 p.m
  
  
  I still feel the correct answer is correct.
  If it is wrong please help me.
  
  Regards,
  mahesh
• 10 years agoHelpfull: Yes(0) No(3)