Skip to main content

Can you solve the jail break riddle? - Dan Finkel

  • 3,661,903 Views
  • 6,054 Questions Answered
  • TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Your timing made you and your partner infamous bank robbers. Now, you need to use that timing to break out of jail. Your partner is about to flash you a signal, and exactly 45 seconds later the electric fence circuit will short out. Then you notice that your watch is broken, and all you have are two 1-minute fuses in your pocket. Can you time your escape and get free? Dan Finkel shows how.


Customize this lesson321

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Daniel Finkel
  • Director Igor Coric
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Animator Nemanja Petrovic
  • Illustrator Jelena Vasiljevic
  • Character Designer Jelena Vasiljevic
  • Producer Milica Lapcevic
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Fact-Checker Brian Gutierrez
Additional Resources for you to Explore
If you had 3 fuses that each burned for exactly a minute, how many different times could you time 90 seconds? 75 seconds? 2 minutes and 45 seconds? Try to create a complete list of times you can measure exactly with three fuses. When you have the list, explain why it is complete.



Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Daniel Finkel
  • Director Igor Coric
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Animator Nemanja Petrovic
  • Illustrator Jelena Vasiljevic
  • Character Designer Jelena Vasiljevic
  • Producer Milica Lapcevic
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Fact-Checker Brian Gutierrez

More from Math In Real Life