You have an empty container, and an infinite number of marbles, each numbered with an integer from 1 to infinity.

At the start of the minute, you put marbles 1 - 10 into the container, then remove one of the marbles and throw it away. You do this again after 30 seconds, then again in 15 seconds, and again in 7.5 seconds. You continuosly repeat this process, each time after half as long an interval as the time before, until the minute is over.

Since this means that you repeated the process an infinite number of times, you have "processed" all your marbles.

How many marbles are in the container at the end of the minute if for every repetition (numbered N)

A. You remove the marble numbered (10 * N)

B. You remove the marble numbered (N)

(In reply to whee by Cory Taylor)

You've basically just said,
"na n'nah n'naaah naaahhh...
I don't believe you, and I'm not listening to you anymore.... and I'm not gonna talk to you anymore about this."

very amusing

:-)

P.S. I have two experts buddies on the subject too... and they say that the answers given in the solution are correct ;-) (If only it were that easy in a court of law.)

Posted by SilverKnight on 2003-09-19 03:06:10