State both timestamp ranges
Synthetic evidence places interruption start between 10:01 and 10:03 inclusive, end between 10:08 and 10:10 inclusive. Every endpoint combination is possible. Local review limit is 8 minutes; accepting requires even the longest possible duration≤8.
| Bound | Endpoint pairing | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Shortest | 10:03→10:08 | 5 |
| Longest | 10:01→10:10 | 9 |
| Midpoint estimate | 10:02→10:09 | 7; not exact evidence |
Pair bounds for shortest and longest
- Pair latest start with earliest end for shortest
- Pair earliest start with latest end for longest
- Compare maximum with limit
A midpoint estimate cannot replace the supplied uncertainty range.
Can the exercise accept a duration no more than 8 minutes?
Show the worked answer
No. Possible duration is 5–9 minutes;9 exceeds 8. This does not prove it lasted 9, only that the available evidence cannot exclude it.
Test a limit against the full range
| Case | Decision | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Use midpoint 7 | Insufficient acceptance | Ignores possible 9 |
| Use full range 5–9 | Acceptance unestablished | Maximum above 8 |
Seek tighter endpoint evidence if the eight-minute decision matters. Preserve uncertainty rather than rewriting an estimate as an observed fact.