Pancake Morning
Understand the puzzle
The exact puzzle
You're making breakfast alone. The jobs: HEAT the griddle — 6 min (switch it on and it heats by itself; your hands stay free). MIX the batter — 4 min (hands busy). COOK the pancakes — 8 min (hands busy at the griddle the whole time; needs the griddle hot AND the batter mixed). SET the table — 3 min (hands busy). POUR the juice — 2 min (hands busy). You can switch the griddle on at any moment. What is the SHORTEST total time from starting to everything done?
Why this matters
Overlap waiting time with working time
Take your time reading. There's no rush at all. Use the picture on the side to help it make sense, then tell me what it's really asking.