Big question: What do you think is the answer?

United States
August 5, 2008 11:00am CST
If theres 10 metres between you and a door, and your first step is like 5 metres and the next is 2,5 metres and the next is 1,25 metres and the next is half ect. Do you think you would ever reach the door? Some say that yes, if you had infinity steps you would. Some say no, because it wont ever make it since some of the last steps would be like 0,0000001 cm and it would lead nowhere. So, what do you guys think?' I myself beleive in the second one.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@Valenas (1507)
• United States
5 Aug 08
Wait, can anyone take 5 meter step? o.o; Or even a 2.5 meter step? They really must have long legs. I am just saying.. But, as far as reaching the door, I would say yes. Thinking of this in a realistic sense, by the time you got within fractions of centimeters of the door, your toe or the edge of your shoe would be touching it. I hope that this answers your question.
• United States
5 Aug 08
I know that, but the steps thing was just an example. Now, imagine that you COULD actually take such small steps or whatever, or lets say travel that distance or whatever. Do you think you would reach the door or what? :P
1 person likes this
@Valenas (1507)
• United States
5 Aug 08
No, because you will never reach an exact "zero" value.
@hellcowboy (7374)
• United States
6 Aug 08
I would say that this is a very complex question and I think that you would eventually reach the door,even though when you get down to such small steps it might take you a long time,and maybe even infinite steps,but if you stick to it and keep taking the steps then you will eventually reach your target,I do not know if I am right or not,but at least that is my opinion.
• United States
5 Aug 08
No you will not reach the door. Lets think of this as a number line that starts at 5 meters. The door is at 0 on the number line. you reduce 5 in half and get 2.5 and then 1.25 and so forth. so 5 X 0.5 = 2.5 and 2.5 X 0.5 = 1.25. so you need to answer this equation. a X 0.5 = 0 solve for a. You will notice with the equation 5 X 0.5 = 2.5 that 2.5/0.5 = 5. So when you attempt to solve the previous equation you would try 0/0.5 which equals 0. So essentially you will never reach the door.
@dogsnme (1264)
• United States
5 Aug 08
I actually read a book, called the Infinity Book, that addressed problems of this nature. In theaory you wouldn't ever reach the door because you would be constantly reducing by half the distance and you would never reach the required distance to the door, or something like that. In reality, for an individual, we know this is not possible. That's the best explanation I can give without digging the book out.
@dreamssri (1796)
• India
5 Aug 08
if i can make the first step for 5 meters,i'll make the second again 5 meters and reach the door,rather than wasting time in calculating this damn question... [b] its like searching the end of the infinity!![/b]
@NrgDfenZ (1810)
• Belgium
5 Aug 08
Well at some time I will hit the door with my nose... So yeah I will reach the door :D But on the other hand, If you keep deviding you will never reach 0.. Have a good day..