Mensa Puzzle

[rutillus]

This was mensa teaser i was looking at in the daily express,unfortunately i missed the answer,can anybody out there help,many thanks in advance.Candle stubs can be saved to mould into new candles.seven stubs are needed to make each new candle,if there are 271 candle stubs,how many candles can possibly be made in total

[factor-fiction]

From 271 you can get stubs to make 38.7 candles. Call it 38. From those stubs you can get 5.4 candles. Call it 5.
That means 271+ 38 + 5 = 271 +43 candles.
But I've had too many glasses of wine and have a feeling the answer is bigger than that

[bibblebub]

from 271 stubs you can make 38 candles with 5 stubs over

those 38 candles will give result in 38 stubs giving you 38+5=43 altogether

those can be use to make 6 candles with 1 stub over

and those 6 candles will result in 6 stubs giving 6+1=7 stubs

and those 7 stubs wil1 make 1 final candle

so total number of candles = 38+6+45

[bibblebub]

final line:- 38+6+1 = 45

(if i could type properly)

[factor-fiction]

Rather than 43 the answer may be 45 since the fractions of a candle also result in a stub

[factor-fiction]

I'm too slow!

[factor-fiction]

Or is it 46?

[factor-fiction]

Rush of blood- it is 45, I'm sure. (I think!)

[stuey]

You can't make any new candles coz you don't have no wicks:)

[BlackadderV]

Well said that man. It takes a Canadian to spot the elephant in the room.

[bibblebub]

but the question does say that candle stubs can be saved to mould into new candles so there doesn't seem to be a problem with wicks

[stuey]

I'm sure that there is a logical answer by doing the math; however, the first thing I thought of was where are the new wicks coming from:)

[BlackadderV]

In Britain it is maths, not math.

[Prudie]

And I make it 44 candles with 1 stub left over. I must need more wine.

[Tilly2]

Fork handles!

[stuey]

Ooops...I mean ooop:)

[Prudie]

Stuey I think I can speak for the nation that we all hate the term 'math'

[BlackadderV]

I got the same answer as you, Prudie. 38 r5 +5 r3 +1 r1

[Prudie]

Actually, even if it is 45, why stop there, don't you burn them down and keep using the stubs? I can't be arsed to work it out :-)

[stuey]

I absolutely refuse, on general principles, to join a society or club, such as MENSA, that will accept me...Who said that years ago?:)

[Mamyalynne]

Groucho Marx