How often have you actually finished using a pencil until it’s too small to hold? Have you ever wondered how long a pencil truly lasts? For the sake of science (and curiosity), I decided to find out.

I started with a standard 17 cm pencil and a 2 cm sharpener.

To start using the pencil, I had to rotate it six times to achieve a sharp tip.

It took 51 rotations to reach the halfway point, including the initial six. The remaining black part of the pencil now measures 8.5 cm.

In total, it took 101 rotations to reach the end, including the initial six. At that point, I could no longer turn the pencil.

And there you have it—101 rotations later, my pencil met its tiny, stubby end. Was it a scientific breakthrough? Not quite. But now I know exactly how long a pencil lasts, and that’s a fact I’ll probably never need… or will I? So, the next time you pick up a new pencil, you might just wonder—how many rotations does this one have left?

— The End —