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This is a funny one

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  • 03-04-2005 10:52pm
    #1
    ApeXaviour
    Registered Users Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭


    I know you chaps are too smart for this but I'd like to see what your answer is.

    One object is 10^(-15)m long. Another is 10^(-10)m long. Is the second one a) 10^-5 times bigger, or b) 10^-5 times smaller?


    Apologies if this is a repost.. mods feel free to delete should that be the case.


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    #2
    ecksor
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 10,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭ecksor


    If the words "bigger" and "smaller" are to denote larger in magnitude and smaller in magnitude respectively, then I reckon that the second number is bigger by a factor of 10^5 and therefore neither of your answers seem to apply.


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    #3
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    The answer is (a).


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    #4
    ApeXaviour
    Registered Users Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭ApeXaviour


    ecksor wrote:
    If the words "bigger" and "smaller" are to denote larger in magnitude and smaller in magnitude respectively, then I reckon that the second number is bigger by a factor of 10^5 and therefore neither of your answers seem to apply.

    Arigato gozaimasu.. I understood it but wasn't able to put it into words as well as yourself.
    The answer is (a).
    How do you figure that?


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    #5
    Congoose
    Registered Users Posts: 233 ✭✭Congoose


    I think ecksor is right, but (/tries to not sound like a prat.....) if we say "bigger" and "smaller" are reciprocals of each other (i.e. multiplication and division):

    The second number is bigger by 10^5
    =>It is smaller by 1/(10^5)
    =>It is smaller by 10^-5

    So I think (b) is the answer!


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    #6
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,827 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    ApeXaviour wrote:
    I know you chaps are too smart for this but I'd like to see what your answer is.

    One object is 10^(-15)m long. Another is 10^(-10)m long. Is the second one a) 10^-5 times bigger, or b) 10^-5 times smaller?


    Apologies if this is a repost.. mods feel free to delete should that be the case.
    The 0.1nm object is 10(^+5) times bigger

    just as two wrongs don't make a right (mostly ;) ) two negatives don't always make a positive ( uninflamamble ) so it's a bit like bigger/smaller is the sign of the exponent and the mantissa is always greater than unity, hope that's cleared it up.


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    #7
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    ApeXaviour wrote:
    Arigato gozaimasu.. I understood it but wasn't able to put it into words as well as yourself.

    How do you figure that?

    The easy way. I keyed it into a spreadsheet!

    I just forgot to change 'bigger' for 'smaller'. :D

    So it's (b), as congoose said.


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