My Favorite Paradox.

[Gregorio]

This isn't a paradox, it's just a trick question.

A paradox would be like:

Superman has a date with Lois Lane, and is going to leave to meet her at Midnight. At 11:59:00 he combs his hair so that the part is on the left hand side. At 11:59:30 he changes his mind and combs his hair so that the part is on the right hand side. At 11:59:45 he changes his mind again and combs his hair so that the part is on the left hand side. At 11:59:52.5 he changes his mind yet again and combs his hair so that the part is on the right hand side. If at half of the time of the last combing he changes his mind and moves the part in his hair, what side will the part be on at Midnight?

P.S. It's been a while since my paradox course in college, so I don't remember the real solution.

The world will never know!

Since time can break down into fractions and fractions of seconds, and Superman could probably change the part of his hair in a fraction of the second, he would change his hair an infinite number of times because you can't actually reach midnight by halving (or somethin like that).

That sound right?

[Septimus]

This isn't a paradox, it's just a trick question.

A paradox would be like:

Superman has a date with Lois Lane, and is going to leave to meet her at Midnight. At 11:59:00 he combs his hair so that the part is on the left hand side. At 11:59:30 he changes his mind and combs his hair so that the part is on the right hand side. At 11:59:45 he changes his mind again and combs his hair so that the part is on the left hand side. At 11:59:52.5 he changes his mind yet again and combs his hair so that the part is on the right hand side. If at half of the time of the last combing he changes his mind and moves the part in his hair, what side will the part be on at Midnight?

P.S. It's been a while since my paradox course in college, so I don't remember the real solution.

The world will never know!

Since time can break down into fractions and fractions of seconds, and Superman could probably change the part of his hair in a fraction of the second, he would change his hair an infinite number of times because you can't actually reach midnight by halving (or somethin like that).

That sound right?

I can't remember the real answer. I do remember my personal explanation was that since no one (not even Superman) can move faster than the speed of light, the premise of the paradox if flawed. My professor enjoyed that explanation.

[Isiolia]

I thought this was an example about why you follow order of operations in math >_>

[kuronosan]

Well in that case, it he would never reach a point where he could change his hair fast enough without either a) breaking the sound barrier or b) altering the space-time continuum... so yea, you'd theoretically be correct about the speed of light.

The amount of time would grow infinitesimally smaller but would never reach midnight, therefore, it would either be possible for superman to brush his hair at 9^inf/10 of a second... or Superman would implode from breaking the boundaries of space and time.

[½pint]

Cba to read all the replies. The question is wrong, it's a trick question, the numbers aren't meant to add up to 30.

Amount of money manager owns = amount of money customers paid

Room fee + tip = amount paid by customers

25 + 2 = 9 * 3