A clock strikes, once at 1o'clock, twice at 2o'clock and thrice at 3 o'clock, and soon. If it takes 12 seconds to strike at 5 o'clock, what is the time taken by it to strike at 10 o'clock?

Correct Option (2)

The problem establishes a direct proportionality between the number of times a clock strikes and the total duration taken for these strikes. At 5 o'clock, the clock strikes 5 times, taking a total of 12 seconds.

To determine the time taken for the clock to strike at 10 o'clock (i.e., 10 strikes), the following calculation is applied:

• Time taken for 1 strike unit = 12 seconds / 5 strikes = 2.4 seconds per strike.
• Time taken for 10 strikes = 10 strikes × 2.4 seconds per strike = 24 seconds.

Alternatively, since 10 strikes represent twice the number of 5 strikes, the time taken will also be proportionally doubled:

• Time for 10 strikes = 12 seconds × (10/5) = 12 seconds × 2 = 24 seconds.

Incorrect Options:

Options 1 (20 seconds), 3 (28 seconds), and 4 (30 seconds) are inconsistent with the direct proportionality established between the number of strikes and the time taken. These values do not align with the proportional relationship derived from the given information.