I must be a mathmatician.  I understand how I should solve the
problem, and that there /is/ an answer.  So now I'm no longer as
interested in it as I was while reading it.  Mostly I'm avoiding it
because I realize it would take me a good bit of time I can't use
right now.  If I were to solve it, I'd be particularily interested in
seeing if there's a unique or unusual relationship between H, M, and
S.  If not then you have to include a lot of variables in the end
equation, which could be quite cumbersome.  Can it be simplified if we
assume M = 2H, for instance.

Let me know... :-)

What I'm more interested in now is - what could such a mechanism
possibly have use as?

-Adam

On 9/27/06, Rolf <learr@rogers.com> wrote:
> In the OT spirit, and just for fun (and to waste away some time...),
> here's a little challenge that will exercise your mind.
>
> Pretend there is a "Grandfather" clock (standard clock face, no second
> hand). There is a piece of string tied from the end of the hour hand to
> the end of the minute hand. The length of this string is greater than
> the sum of the hour and minute hand  lengths. Suspended from this
> string, on a pulley, is a weight. This weight can move freely along the
> string and will need to as the time changes on the clock face.
>
> Given that:
> the length of the String is 's' (not counting the string required to tie
> the actual knots)
> the length of the hour hand is 'h'
> the length of the minute hand is 'm'
> s >= h + m
> the co-ordinate system will be an x-y system in the same units as the
> various lengths above, with the origin centered on the center of the
> clock face.
> the pulley that the weight hangs from is assumed to have *no* diameter.
>
> what will be the position (x,y) of the *pulley* at time 't' on the clock.
>
> Rolf.
>
> P.S. No prize, but I am scurrying off to remember how to solve this
> one..... ;-)
>
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