Hare and tortoise .. explain
Discussion
OK - I need help here. Tortoise (Kia if we're talking cars)and hare(Lambo,Zonda etc) line up on a track, the tortoise/Kia has a 50 metre head start.
The flag falls and they both spring into action, moving continuously. The much quicker hare/Lambo reaches the 50metre mark but by then the Kia/tortoise has moved on a few metres, by the time the hare/Lambo reaches this new target the Kia/tortoise has moved on - perhaps just a few cms - and so it goes on...the gap becomes smaller but, as they are both moving continuously, the Hare/lambo always has a diminishing target but never overtakes.
Clearly it does- but why ?
The flag falls and they both spring into action, moving continuously. The much quicker hare/Lambo reaches the 50metre mark but by then the Kia/tortoise has moved on a few metres, by the time the hare/Lambo reaches this new target the Kia/tortoise has moved on - perhaps just a few cms - and so it goes on...the gap becomes smaller but, as they are both moving continuously, the Hare/lambo always has a diminishing target but never overtakes.
Clearly it does- but why ?
Edited by moffspeed on Saturday 26th February 20:00
Edited by moffspeed on Saturday 26th February 20:03
What you have said in your post OP is that the faster cars finish line is the slower cars starting line. No matter how long it goes on, the faster car will never overtake and the slower car will always be in front.
The point of the hare and tortoise is that the lambo will zoom off into the distance and will break down. The slower, more reliable car will then pass and win, even though it's not the fastest. ( if we want to translate the original fable into car terms)
The point of the hare and tortoise is that the lambo will zoom off into the distance and will break down. The slower, more reliable car will then pass and win, even though it's not the fastest. ( if we want to translate the original fable into car terms)
This is generally known as the problem of Achilles and the Tortoise, one of Zeno's Paradoxes.
The usual response is that as the distances get progressively shorter, so do the times needed to cover those distances. It's a convergent series. Motion cannot be decomposed to a number of discreet instants, so the paradox doesn't actually represent reality at all.
The usual response is that as the distances get progressively shorter, so do the times needed to cover those distances. It's a convergent series. Motion cannot be decomposed to a number of discreet instants, so the paradox doesn't actually represent reality at all.
Clearly, in reality, the Lambo would pass the Kia in a very short distance.
This is because it is accelerating much faster and therefore covering the ground in a much shorter space of time.
The problem is, that this is so obvious that I can't seem to think of a better way to explain it!
Tim
This is because it is accelerating much faster and therefore covering the ground in a much shorter space of time.
The problem is, that this is so obvious that I can't seem to think of a better way to explain it!
Tim
cos they are accelerating at different rates.
The one that does my head in is the drag racing phenomenom, (usually bikes) that do quarter mile time with a terminal speed, then do a quicker quarter mile but the terminal speed is slower because the rate of acceleration was greater so the bike didn't build up as higher speed.
Or something like that.
I have had a drink.
The one that does my head in is the drag racing phenomenom, (usually bikes) that do quarter mile time with a terminal speed, then do a quicker quarter mile but the terminal speed is slower because the rate of acceleration was greater so the bike didn't build up as higher speed.
Or something like that.
I have had a drink.
cazzer said:
Its the firing the bullit at the moving tortoise scenario.
If the tortoise keeps moving, the bullit will never hit it.
Cos when it gets to where the tortoise is it will have moved.
Obviously this is b
ks 
Yep, to prove it I shot my tortoise tonight, just left a mess everywhere.If the tortoise keeps moving, the bullit will never hit it.
Cos when it gets to where the tortoise is it will have moved.
Obviously this is b
ks Definately pissed.
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