Billy The Ant

Logic Level 2

Let's say there is a rubber rope, and an ant called Billy. The rubber rope starts at a length of 10cm but can stretch to an infinite length. Billy walks onto the start of the rope, about 1 cm in, and he wants to make it to the end of the rope. The challenge is, every time Billy moves 1 cm, the rope stretches another 10 cm. Will Billy ever manage to make it to the end?

No, Billy is too slow Yes, I believe in Billy Not enough information

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1 solution

Madison Kain
Feb 21, 2019

Billy can keep going, a centimeter each step, even with the growing rope, he can eventually make it to the end. Since, when you stretch a rubber band, it stretches on both sides, once Billy makes it to the middle, he will always be at least halfway. Eventually, the rubber band will stretch extremely far, but as long as Billy keeps moving, he will slowly but surely make it to the end of the rope.

Nobody says it stretched from both sides though. If you pin the side he starts on he won't be able to get to the end.

Peter van der Linden - 2 years, 3 months ago

The explanation is quite weak, as it doesn't guarantee that the stretch doesn't make the remaining path to become infinitely positive. I have my own explanation, but I'll withhold it for now

Afkar Aulia - 2 years, 3 months ago

Vsauce! Ant On A Rubber Rope Paradox

Barry Leung - 2 years, 3 months ago

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