Friday problem...

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An incorrect one, as confirmed by the OP, but I was perfectly calm and explaining how you wouldn't be completely wrong simply going off the OP.

At which point have I demonstrated any requirement to calm down?

You probably haven't, I just thought you were implying I was a bit of an idiot for not taking time to read the thread properly.
 
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Having trouble with that, as there isn't an infinite number of points on the earth.

There's an infinite number of points on just a one metre ruler. :p

Start counting with the two end points, then you've got the point at the 50cm mark half way between them, then the point at the 25cm mark half way between the 50cm and 0cm points, then the point at 12.5cm half way between 25 and 0, 6.25 half way between 12.5 and 0.

And you can keep finding points half way between your old points for ever (though they'll be at the 0.001mm and smaller value marks). So there must be a more than finite number of points as if you had say, 10000 points, you could find a new point halfway between any two adjacent points. Thus the number cannot be finite.

And obviously, there's a whole lot of one metre rulers on a one mile long line around the pole :p
 
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There's an infinite number of points on just a one metre ruler. :p

Start counting with the two end points, then you've got the point at the 50cm mark half way between them, then the point at the 25cm mark half way between the 50cm and 0cm points, then the point at 12.5cm half way between 25 and 0, 6.25 half way between 12.5 and 0.

And you can keep finding points half way between your old points for ever (though they'll be at the 0.001mm and smaller value marks). So there must be a more than finite number of points as if you had say, 10000 points, you could find a new point halfway between any two adjacent points. Thus the number cannot be finite.

And obviously, there's a whole lot of one metre rulers on a one mile long line around the pole :p

You're assuming that space is infinitely divisible, which isnt in any way certain....
 
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No there isn't (sic).

Doesn't matter how many there are. If it is quantifiable it isn't infinite :)


I think it comes down to continuous vs discrete measurements.

Take a ruler and start at one end, now move halfway towards the other end. From this point now move half way towards the end of ruler from the new point.... If you repeat this you will never reach the end of the ruler no matter how many movements you make. You could therefore argue that there are an infinite number of points on the ruler.

its like saying that (1/2) + (1/4) + (1/8) + (1/16) + (1/32) + (1/64) + (1/128).......... etc = 1 at infinity.

In practice the number of points on a ruler is determined by the precision to which you can accurately measure the position on ruler. e.g. if you can measure to the nearest 1mm on a 30cm ruler there would effectively be 301 points on the ruler, if you could measure to the nearest 0.1mm there would be 3001. If you can meaure to a infinite precision there would be an infinite number of points (I think!)
 
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I think it comes down to continuous vs discrete measurements.

Take a ruler and start at one end, now move halfway towards the other end. From this point now move half way towards the end of ruler from the new point.... If you repeat this you will never reach the end of the ruler no matter how many movements you make. You could therefore argue that there are an infinite number of points on the ruler.

its like saying that (1/2) + (1/4) + (1/8) + (1/16) + (1/32) + (1/64) + (1/128).......... etc = 1 at infinity.

In practice the number of points on a ruler is determined by the precision to which you can accurately measure the position on ruler. e.g. if you can measure to the nearest 1mm on a 30cm ruler there would effectively be 301 points on the ruler, if you could measure to the nearest 0.1mm there would be 3001. If you can meaure to a infinite precision there would be an infinite number of points (I think!)

The problem is when you try and translate a mathematical result (that there are an infinite number of points) into a physical reality - you may well find (and the jury is still out on this), that there is indeed a descreet structure to spacetime (on the Planck scale), so that there really are a finite number of points.
 
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Im pretty sure its to do with the man being short, and not able to reach the button.

Nope. That is a man who lives on the 50th floor who travels all the way down in the lift on the morning, but only half way up on the way back, unless it happens to be raining that day :)
 
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I think it comes down to continuous vs discrete measurements.

Take a ruler and start at one end, now move halfway towards the other end. From this point now move half way towards the end of ruler from the new point.... If you repeat this you will never reach the end of the ruler no matter how many movements you make. You could therefore argue that there are an infinite number of points on the ruler.

its like saying that (1/2) + (1/4) + (1/8) + (1/16) + (1/32) + (1/64) + (1/128).......... etc = 1 at infinity.

In practice the number of points on a ruler is determined by the precision to which you can accurately measure the position on ruler. e.g. if you can measure to the nearest 1mm on a 30cm ruler there would effectively be 301 points on the ruler, if you could measure to the nearest 0.1mm there would be 3001. If you can meaure to a infinite precision there would be an infinite number of points (I think!)

me being completely thick when it comes to mathematics :D... i would assume that a point takes up space and if it is a quanitifyable space then you're only going to get a limited amount of points in there. Sure you can divide up space to infinity but infinite division doesnt equal infinite space in uhmm real terms :D.

i have 2 sticks. One is 20m and one is 10m. One is bigger than the other right? So theres more space right? Wheres the problem? Is one infinity bigger than the other?
this is why i hate maths and leave it well alone....
 
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Whilst i'm here.

A man who wants to goto the 25th floor of a building is frustrated that the lift stops on every floor along the way; No one gets in or out of the lift. Why?

He starts on the 24th or 26th floor, thus it stops at every floor, which is one (25th). Dunno why he is fustrated about it though :p
 
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