Report, edit, etc...Posted by Helios on 2004-06-03 at 13:11:54
Consider this odd situation. At my feet are an Infinite number of baseballs numbered 1,2,3 and so on. In front of me is a door that leads into an infinitely large room. At exactly eight minutes to midnight, I throw balls 1 and 2 into the room. Immediately someone in the room throws ball 1 back out. At four minutes to midnight (half of eight minutes), I throw balls 3 and 4 into the room. Immediately someone in the room throws ball 2 back out. At two minutes to midnight (half of four minutes), I throw the next 2 balls,5 and 6, into the room, and Immediately ball three is thrown back out.
At one Minute, half a minute, a quarter a minute and so on, I throw the next two balls into the room, and Immediately one ball is thrown back out. Of course this presumes that I can keep throwing balls faster and faster in shorter amounts of time.
At exactly midnight, how many balls are in the room? Which of thses do you belive to be true and why?
1. An Infinite number
2. Half of Infinity
3. Zero
4. None of the Above
At one Minute, half a minute, a quarter a minute and so on, I throw the next two balls into the room, and Immediately one ball is thrown back out. Of course this presumes that I can keep throwing balls faster and faster in shorter amounts of time.
At exactly midnight, how many balls are in the room? Which of thses do you belive to be true and why?
1. An Infinite number
2. Half of Infinity
3. Zero
4. None of the Above
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Yoshi da Sniper on 2004-06-03 at 13:32:09
Because you can keep Infinitely divide time forever, I would say Half of Infinity, because it is half of the balls you have in the room.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Pinecone on 2004-06-03 at 13:40:11
The answer is infinite, there are decimal amounts too. There are an infininite amount of zero's in decimals. Unless you go into some kind of bullet time, there will be infinite balls flying back and forth at a googleplex of a decimal.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by dashrike on 2004-06-03 at 13:48:05
Well technically, "half of infinity" and "an infinite number" would be the same thing...
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Demantrix on 2004-06-03 at 14:15:49
dash is right so id have to say BOTH one and 2
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Helios on 2004-06-03 at 14:19:54
Well here's my argument for #4, The question itslef is flawed because there is a limit to the speed at which balls can be thrown. And In theory if you keep splitting the time in half Midnight would effectively never strike.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Demantrix on 2004-06-03 at 14:22:21
this is also true, and ive come to an answer
it cant be proven, you could have any answer there at midnight, they all makes sense, because infinity can effectivly take any numbers place, it is every number multiplied exponentially until theres to many to count
it cant be proven, you could have any answer there at midnight, they all makes sense, because infinity can effectivly take any numbers place, it is every number multiplied exponentially until theres to many to count
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Mini Moose 2707 on 2004-06-03 at 15:51:30
x / 2, where x equals the number of balls thrown in the room.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by (U)Bolt_Head on 2004-06-05 at 11:39:35
QUOTE(Helios @ Jun 3 2004, 01:19 PM)
Well here's my argument for #4, The question itslef is flawed because there is a limit to the speed at which balls can be thrown. And In theory if you keep splitting the time in half Midnight would effectively never strike.
Can't belive no one pointed that out yet.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by evolipel on 2004-06-05 at 14:56:54
Well first, you'd see some freakishly fast throwing and then a program exception...
Seriously though, it's impossible to get to midnight this way. It's like trying to deplete a reserve of a nuclear isotope. Therefore, it would be an infinity of balls. Since you've specified no speed limit to anything, infinity divided by two would still be infinity.
Depending on the way you think about it, it's either number one or number two. Number three is total bull
and can't be justified, and number four... well... you answer for yourself.
Seriously though, it's impossible to get to midnight this way. It's like trying to deplete a reserve of a nuclear isotope. Therefore, it would be an infinity of balls. Since you've specified no speed limit to anything, infinity divided by two would still be infinity.
Depending on the way you think about it, it's either number one or number two. Number three is total bull
and can't be justified, and number four... well... you answer for yourself.Report, edit, etc...Posted by Silent on 2004-06-05 at 18:16:31
gaah! all this math and philosphical crap!
my poor head hurts from u big meanies!!
my poor head hurts from u big meanies!!
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Xeno on 2004-06-06 at 23:26:16
I find the subject of space and time intresting... so confusing though. On that note I have nothing to add. 