Something I've been wondering about

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How many times can you cut an object in half?

― Nicky Rauch, Monday, 17 November 2003 18:47 (twenty-two years ago)

*BANG!*

― onomotapeia describing the sound of nza's head exploding (nickalicious), Monday, 17 November 2003 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

There was this book that we had as kids that had puzzles and logic problems (geeky from a young age, yes) and it had an example of an EVERLASTING CANDY BAR which disappointed me. You just keep on cutting the candy bar in half, which you can do infinitely. Theoretically, I'm sure it gets a bit more complicated when you reach the atomic level.

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Monday, 17 November 2003 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)

"How many times can you cut an object in half before the subatomic reaction generates an explosion that levels the city?"

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 17 November 2003 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Isn't there some puzzle about 'how many times can you fold a piece of paper in half' and it's impossible to do it any more than eight times? I may have just made this up or dreamt about it or something though.

― C J (C J), Monday, 17 November 2003 19:00 (twenty-two years ago)

No, there is, and at a certain level there are so many layers that it's akin to folding a book.

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Monday, 17 November 2003 19:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I believe it's 10 times because after all folding in half is a function of 2^x and so 2^10 = 1024 and we all know that 1024 is a kilobyte.

― Leee Majors (Leee), Monday, 17 November 2003 22:39 (twenty-two years ago)

How many times can you cut an object in half?

Once.

― Herbstmute (Wintermute), Monday, 17 November 2003 22:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Good call.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Monday, 17 November 2003 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

The folding limit is seven.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I learned this from Why Don't You? so please, do not question it.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I think it might vary with the thickness of the paper, assuming the paper is large enough to take many folds conveniently. A very large and thin sheet can obviously be folded more than a very small and thick sheet.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I seem to recall the '7' thing too.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

No wait, that's S Club.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Nope, it's 7. (agreeing with N. shockah)

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Barry and The Nicks are absolutely right.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Martin is pretty much wrong, as they proved with a huge room-sized piece of tissue paper on Why Don't You?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

That's folding, not cutting, obviously.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Which of the WDY gangs imparted this information? I wouldn't trust the Belfast mob.

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Are you sure it wasn't How To?

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Gaz Topp to thread!

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I never even saw How To. So no.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

To pour water out of a bottle fast, swizz it round to make a whirlpool thing wot lets air inthrough the hole as the water comes out the outside!

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

You never saw How To?! And can still use the internet? Fucking hell.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I've been trying with a sheet of A4 paper out of the photocopier, and I'm finding it very difficult to do more than six folds. The seventh is almost impossible. I must be a pathetic weakling or something (pls do not answer that).

― C J (C J), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

so this implies it is impossible to get a bit of toilet paper 256 segments long folded down to the size of one

=> they obv have not tried public transport

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

hmm I just did 8 folds on a big piece of tissue, I therefore claim Godlike status and declare that U R all gay

― Fuzzy (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

You folded it on top of itself 8 times? Then yes, you are God.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Or a liar. Which raises interesting theological issues.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 18:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Fold in half not like a fan. You can do the latter LOADS.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Tuesday, 18 November 2003 18:43 (twenty-two years ago)

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