mediummath

Illustration for riddle: There is a chain nailed to the wall. The chain is 10 feet long and the centre of the chain dips down — Can you figure out this riddle?

There is a chain nailed to the wall. The chain is 10 feet long and the centre of the chain dips down 5 feet from where each side of the chain is nailed to the wall. How far are the 2 ends of chain from each other?

The ends are touching. In order for the chain to dip down 5 feet (exactly half) the ends must be touching and the chain is effectively folded in half.

Why this works

This riddle plays with the physical properties of a chain and how it hangs when supported at two points. When the chain is nailed to the wall with each end attached at the same height, the center dips down 5 feet, which means it creates a V-shape. Since the total length of the chain is 10 feet, if the center dips down to 5 feet, it implies that the two ends must meet at the lowest point, effectively making the ends touch each other. This clever visualization of the chain's shape reveals the surprising yet straightforward answer!

Common Wrong Answers

“5 feet”

This answer assumes the chain hangs down in a way that creates a gap between the ends when, in fact, because the chain dips down 5 feet at the center, the ends must meet.

“10 feet”

This guess is based on the total length of the chain rather than the configuration described in the riddle. Since the chain dips down, the ends cannot be 10 feet apart.

“2.5 feet”

This answer suggests that the chain creates a gap or a curve, which contradicts the riddle's condition that the chain dips down exactly to the midpoint, implying the ends must touch.

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