Heartland

Can somebody help me? I can't get to my kitchen.

Before I get to my kitchen, I get half way to my kitchen. When I'm there, I have half the distance left. Before I then reach the kitchen, I have to cover half of that distance, (the distance between the middle point and the kitchen). But before I can reach the kitchen, I have to cover half of that distance (an eighth of the original distance). And so on, and so on.

Since there's an infinite number of distances I have to cover, I can never reach the kitchen.

Help!

Get out more.

I plead extenuating circumstances: I've been in bed ill for the last four days.

I'm still a bit woozy from high ibuprofen dosing.

But the number of distances can't be infinite, can it? Anything that is divisible must by definition be finite, right?

I suggest you try again, and this time skip

Every portion of a finite distance can be further subdivided...

Guess whose paradox that is

Aristotle would say your reasoning is fallacious. All the cool kids know that motion isn't a purely spatial problem.

Nice to have that sorted out. I hate it when a paradox stops me from getting a sandwich.

Next: what is the largest number smaller than 1?

careful.. you may only be tending towards the sandwich...

markfiend wrote:Every portion of a finite distance can be further subdivided...

Stick the microwave beside your bed

Corpy wrote:Aristotle would say your reasoning is fallacious. All the cool kids know that motion isn't a purely spatial problem.

A lot of Aristotle's own reasoning was fallacious in itself, so I wouldn't put much stock in that.

Ultimately, you're going to have to end up covering distances shorter than the wavelength of light, so the laws of Quantum Mechanics will take over and the universe will implode.

Or something.

Moral of the story: never ever even attempt to do the washing up.

Incorrect answer. I hate Maths. Good thing I'm dropping the f**ker at the start of next year

I hoped someone would say that.

In the real numbers, there is no such thing as "the largest number smaller than (n)" for any n.

And by the way, 0.999... = 1

marky, go back to bed...

emilystrange wrote:marky, go back to bed...

Good idea.

Bye for now everyone. I hope my brain is a bit less wibble by then.

If you can get to your computer, and have access to a phone, then a kitchen is surplus to requirements unless the cats need feeding - just call the local takeaway and have it delivered!

Mark, you're a Bloke, what the hell do you want to go into a Kitchen for?

scotty wrote:Mark, you're a Bloke, what the hell do you want to go into a Kitchen for?

'E's bin sick - must have scrambled 'is brains a bit

scotty wrote:Mark, you're a Bloke, what the hell do you want to go into a Kitchen for?

maybe he's been as bad as you, keef, and mrsfiend won't feed him

fiendy are you sure you location should be far curve of the bell end?

Go out of the front door and go round to the back door and voila!

Thankfully, fractal reasoning doesn't apply on a macroscopic level. Unfortunate really, or I could make that last half-pint last for at least a couple more galactic revolutions.

*sniff* I thought this was a support thread for people with building issues...
New fookin' windows. Horrible. Horrible!

... then there's quantum foam...

The kitchen prob:
Wait till you come down and never take that stuff again?