Submitted by TheFlaccidCarrot t3_126v2bb in explainlikeimfive
Mental_Cut8290 t1_jec73wh wrote
Reply to comment by SG2769 in ELI5 How Zeno's Paradox is a paradox? by TheFlaccidCarrot
Tortoise has a head start, but moves slow.
Achilles will overtake and win despite starting behind.
The problem is an infinite series.
Achilles will run, for some amount of time, and eventually reach the tortoise's starting point. But the tortoise has also advanced during that time and Achilles is still behind.
The race continues a lesser amount of time and Achilles reaches the tortoise's last checkpoint, but again the tortoise has moved on.
EVERY time Achilles reaches where the tortoise was, the tortoise has moved a little bit farther. This will be true for infinite points.
How can Achilles reach the infinite number of checkpoints and ever pass the tortoise if the tortoise is always a little bit further away for infinite points?
Mental_Cut8290 t1_jec7lpc wrote
An infinite series of mathematics walk into a bar.
The first orders a beer. The second orders half a beer. The next orders 1/4 of a beer. Next orders 1/8 of a beer.
The bartender cuts them off, pours 2 beers and tells them "you should really know your limits."
SG2769 t1_jec8rcu wrote
Ok. This is a good way to put it.
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