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  • Subject: Why can't Achilles catch that tortoise?
Subject: Why can't Achilles catch that tortoise?

RIP Logan ~B.B.

The great hero Achilles is made to race a tortoise. It is well known that Achilles can run ten times faster than the tortoise, so the tortoise is given a 100 meter head start on a 200 meter race. It doesn't take Achilles long to make up the 100 meter headstart. However, when he reaches the 100 meter mark, he finds the tortoise(traveling at 1/10 the speed) has reached the 110 meter mark. Continuing on, Achilles reaches the 110 meter mark only to find the turtle has reached 111 meters. He continues on to the 111 yard mark to find the turtle is now at the 111.1 meter mark. When Achilles reaches the 111.1 mark, the turtle has reached the 111.11 mark. This continues on ad infinitum, and even traveling at ten times the velocity of the tortoise, Achilles can never catch the tortoise. Why not?

  • 12.27.2012 12:36 PM PDT

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[Edited on 12.27.2012 12:37 PM PST]

  • 12.27.2012 12:36 PM PDT

He threw down a glove you made the mistake
Of picking it up now you're gone
The choosing of guns or fighting with swords
The choice of weapons is done
He'll tear you apart as soon as you start
You know you don't have a chance.

Because bad math and logic.

  • 12.27.2012 12:37 PM PDT

Basia Basiliscum Meum

because *blah blah* everytime *blah blah* half the distance *blah blah* never catch up...


see?

  • 12.27.2012 12:37 PM PDT

If the race were 200m then achiles would easily overtake the tortoise.

But a race 111.11111111...metres long and it would be a tie.

  • 12.27.2012 12:37 PM PDT

Do everyone a favor, get some intelligence, grow a set, bust a nut, and shut the fu­ck up.
Posted by: Anto91
you're retared for not knowing inside jokes
retard

if i remember it has to do with diminishing fractions.

  • 12.27.2012 12:38 PM PDT

Because he sleeps

  • 12.27.2012 12:38 PM PDT
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Because maths makes no sense in the real world.

  • 12.27.2012 12:39 PM PDT

**Devil's advocate of the Flood. My posts may or may not represent my personal opinion, I just enjoy disagreeing with people. None of my posts are representative of the official view of the Navy or any government agency.

Non Sibi Sed Patriae
Homework questions? Forget the Flood, join The Academy.
I've got a fan!

Of course he can, because limits exist.

  • 12.27.2012 12:39 PM PDT

I am the God Emprah of Mankind.

Deal with it.

Acceleration.

  • 12.27.2012 12:40 PM PDT

He threw down a glove you made the mistake
Of picking it up now you're gone
The choosing of guns or fighting with swords
The choice of weapons is done
He'll tear you apart as soon as you start
You know you don't have a chance.


Posted by: Mastergee
Because maths makes no sense in the real world.

It does. But according to OP the tortoise's travel speed is a tenth of Achilles(always). However, by that standard;

Tortoise = 10m/the time
Achilles = 100m/the time

So, after (the time)*2, Achilles will have traveled 200m and the tortoise 20m.

But if you want it to go more advanced, Achilles still wins.

  • 12.27.2012 12:43 PM PDT

Trust me, I'm the Doctor...

http://www.youtube.com/xZomGGamingx

Because quit screwing with infinite numbers.

  • 12.27.2012 12:45 PM PDT


Posted by: theslatcher

Posted by: Mastergee
Because maths makes no sense in the real world.

It does. But according to OP the tortoise's travel speed is a tenth of Achilles(always). However, by that standard;

Tortoise = 10m/the time
Achilles = 100m/the time

So, after (the time)*2, Achilles will have traveled 200m and the tortoise 20m.

But if you want it to go more advanced, Achilles still wins.

  • 12.27.2012 12:47 PM PDT

Posted by: ElementalRunner

Posted by: Commander Stroll
Still using a pump-action shotgun over 500 years in the future I see.

omg not realistic stop game production plz

Turtle's accelerating

Derp

  • 12.27.2012 12:57 PM PDT

RIP Logan ~B.B.


Posted by: theslatcher

Posted by: Mastergee
Because maths makes no sense in the real world.

It does. But according to OP the tortoise's travel speed is a tenth of Achilles(always). However, by that standard;

Tortoise = 10m/the time
Achilles = 100m/the time

So, after (the time)*2, Achilles will have traveled 200m and the tortoise 20m.

But if you want it to go more advanced, Achilles still wins.

The obvious answer is that Achilles does win the race handily. And any practical person would simply say that Achilles passed the turtle at the 111 meter mark. But, if you break it down logically to determine at what exact distance the turtle was over taken, it isn't possible. You end up repeating forever. At some point you just have to give up and round.

In ancient Greece, when logic was in its infancy and they were trying to define what motion actually means, this was a major problem. They knew the correct answer was that Achilles won the race, because that could be demonstrated, but they couldn't logically explain how the faster thing could pass the slower thing granted the slower had been given a head start.

Just a bit of mathematical history. Came across it today and figured I'd share.

  • 12.27.2012 1:07 PM PDT