gsm8k-0023

# GSM8K Problem 24

A candle melts by 2 centimeters every hour that it burns. How many centimeters shorter will a candle be after burning from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM?

Reason step by step, then give ONLY the final answer on the last line as \boxed{ANSWER}.

<!-- imported from openai/gsm8k (test) -->

The problem asks for the total decrease in the length of a candle after burning for a specific duration.

1.  **Identify the rate of melting:** The candle melts by 2 centimeters every hour.
2.  **Identify the duration of burning:** The candle burns from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
3.  **Calculate the duration:** From 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM is a span of 4 hours.
4.  **Calculate the total decrease:** Multiply the rate of melting by the duration.
    $$2 \text{ cm/hour} \times 4 \text{ hours} = 8 \text{ cm}$$

The candle will be 8 centimeters shorter.

\boxed{8}