perplexus.info :: Paradoxes : Marbles Bonanza

Marbles Bonanza (Posted on 2003-09-08)

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)

Submitted by levik

Rating: 3.6154 (13 votes)

Solution: (Hide)

Thinking about it logically, in case of (A), every 10th marble is removed, so after an infinity of repetitions, there will still be an infinite number of marbles in the container.
However, in case of (B), because the marbles get removed sequentially, one would think that after an infinity of repetitions, every marble has been removed and the container is empty.

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)

Subject	Author	Date
Puzzle Thoughts	K Sengupta	2023-03-17 23:47:52
No Subject	George Ambrose	2022-10-12 04:02:54
No Subject	Aston Cargo	2022-10-12 03:06:32
No Subject	Aston Cargo	2022-10-12 03:05:52
No Subject	kuja	2007-08-08 04:58:56
chasing infinity theory	Daniel	2006-07-03 20:08:52
something I once heard...	Adam	2006-03-10 04:43:59
re(2): Most certainly not Zero.	Hugo	2006-01-30 14:31:00
re(2): Most certainly not Zero.	David Bernat	2006-01-30 11:54:00
re: Most certainly not Zero.	thegnome54	2006-01-29 21:48:44
Most certainly not Zero.	David Bernat	2006-01-17 17:02:11
Zero, Nada, Zilch.	Mark	2006-01-12 04:36:39
The answer is Zero	Mark	2006-01-12 04:32:46
they're in there	jamie	2005-10-19 00:05:22
The marbles that are still in the jar...	David Bernat	2005-09-13 17:54:41
This is all a bit too confusing...	Somebody	2005-06-23 09:46:26
re(2): The solution isn't...	Ken Haley	2005-06-23 03:52:19
re: The solution isn't...	Tristan	2005-06-22 01:03:08
The solution isn't...	Ken Haley	2005-06-21 04:21:02
No Subject	Brian	2004-11-21 19:08:39
Both infinite	Jon	2004-09-10 05:01:52
duh	Nichole	2004-06-11 21:32:59
re: Integer infinity	Barrett Hasseldine	2004-03-21 21:46:06
Integer infinity	Jeff	2003-12-29 20:56:56
re(2): solution	John	2003-12-24 19:29:11
re: question	Brian Wainscott	2003-12-11 17:01:55
question	ben	2003-12-10 19:52:23
re: solution	Cory Taylor	2003-11-19 09:51:18
solution	Andy	2003-11-18 17:50:17
solution	Joe C	2003-11-05 14:29:22
Infinite - infinite	Chaz	2003-11-04 19:17:00
newbie guessing - and I haven't read comments so my apologies if you've already covered this	e	2003-10-09 19:21:14
re: What if I remove two marbles each time?	SilverKnight	2003-09-22 12:20:51
What if I remove two marbles each time?	Dacre	2003-09-22 10:27:51
re: whee	SilverKnight	2003-09-19 03:06:10
whee	Cory Taylor	2003-09-19 02:36:07
re: finally	SilverKnight	2003-09-18 12:09:49
finally	Cory Taylor	2003-09-18 11:07:00
re:	SilverKnight	2003-09-18 00:08:17
No Subject	Cory Taylor	2003-09-17 22:54:54
re(2): circles	SilverKnight	2003-09-17 04:42:04
re: circles	Cory Taylor	2003-09-16 18:47:01
circles	Cory Taylor	2003-09-16 18:46:11
re: a functional equivalent	Brian Wainscott	2003-09-16 17:36:41
re(5): more	SilverKnight	2003-09-16 09:13:29
re(4): more	Cory Taylor	2003-09-15 23:11:20
re(3): more	SilverKnight	2003-09-15 15:34:46
re(2): more	Cory Taylor	2003-09-15 14:49:05
re: a functional equivalent	SilverKnight	2003-09-15 13:42:59
a functional equivalent	Cory Taylor	2003-09-15 13:38:34
re(2): more	Cory Taylor	2003-09-15 12:27:55
re: more	SilverKnight	2003-09-15 12:14:24
re: more	Brian Wainscott	2003-09-15 12:08:16
more	Cory Taylor	2003-09-15 11:38:44
The solution	gabbo	2003-09-14 02:53:11
re(4): How about this variation? Any Input FatBoy?	TomM	2003-09-12 11:37:09
re(3): How about this variation? Any Input FatBoy?	FatBoy	2003-09-12 07:32:41
re(2): How about this variation? Any Input FatBoy?	Brian Wainscott	2003-09-11 19:13:27
re: How about this variation?	SilverKnight	2003-09-11 01:19:50
How about this variation?	Brian Wainscott	2003-09-10 12:27:25
re: Respectfully, I disagree with someone. Maybe.	FatBoy	2003-09-10 07:54:39
re(3): My ideas?	SilverKnight	2003-09-09 22:33:35
re(2): My ideas?	Gamer	2003-09-09 22:26:21
re: My ideas?	SilverKnight	2003-09-09 21:13:01
re: Respectfully, I disagree with someone. Maybe.	SilverKnight	2003-09-09 21:04:42
re: My ideas?	Brian Wainscott	2003-09-09 18:27:10
My ideas?	Gamer	2003-09-09 18:16:02
Respectfully, I disagree with someone. Maybe.	Sam	2003-09-09 16:29:34
re(7): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)	SilverKnight	2003-09-09 14:58:36
re(6): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)	FatBoy	2003-09-09 14:40:44
re(5): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)	Brian Wainscott	2003-09-09 13:18:29
re(4): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)	FatBoy	2003-09-09 12:23:49
re(3): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)	SilverKnight	2003-09-09 12:07:40
re(2): Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)	FatBoy	2003-09-09 11:52:42
Respectifully I disagree with most (save perhaps SK and Sam)	Brian Wainscott	2003-09-09 11:32:58
re: Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)	SilverKnight	2003-09-09 11:23:43
Respectfully, I disagree with all (save perhaps eric)	FatBoy	2003-09-09 11:05:26
Theoretical possibilities	Sam	2003-09-09 10:47:18
re: Defining Infinity	SilverKnight	2003-09-09 10:47:06
Defining Infinity	Brian Smith	2003-09-09 09:59:51
re(2): Interestingly	Brian Wainscott	2003-09-09 00:24:07
I lost my marbles	Eric	2003-09-08 23:34:58
re: Interestingly	DJ	2003-09-08 22:58:25
Interestingly	sam	2003-09-08 22:24:34
My ideas	Gamer	2003-09-08 15:50:53
Solution	Brian Wainscott	2003-09-08 15:16:16
Solution (I think)	SilverKnight	2003-09-08 14:44:25

Please log in:

Login:
Password:
Remember me:

Sign up! \| Forgot password

Search:

Search body:

Forums (0)
Newest Problems
Random Problem
FAQ | About This Site
Site Statistics
New Comments (3)
Unsolved Problems
Top Rated Problems
This month's top
Most Commented On

Chatterbox:


perplexus dot info