All Fermi answers
Fermi #43 · Question 2

How long would it take the average person to type the entire text of Romeo and Juliet?

Explore the official answer and the simple reasoning behind this Fermi estimate.

2QUESTION 2 OF 3

Answer & explanation

The official answer, with Fermi’s reasoning step by step.

Answer & explanation

Official answer

10

hours

How to estimate it

Fermi’s official “Napkin math”

How long is the play? Call it 25,000 words, and your typing speed about 40 words a minute. Divide it out, assuming no breaks.

Words in the play
≈ 25,000
Typing speed
≈ 40 WPM
25,000 ÷ 40
≈ 625 min, about 10 hours

Rounded assumptions may give a slightly different estimate. The official answer above is the game’s reference value.

Source calculation & reference
Romeo and Juliet word count (Open Source Shakespeare)
≈ 24,545 words
Typical typing speed (Ratatype benchmark)
≈ 40 WPM
24,545 ÷ 40
≈ 614 minutes
≈
10 hours

Reference cited by Fermi: Open Source Shakespeare word count; Ratatype's typical typing-speed benchmark (40 WPM)

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