wu :: forums - Print Page


    
      
        wu :: forums
        (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        riddles >> easy >> The vicious circle
        
(Message started by: Moti on Nov 24^th, 2002, 1:34pm)

Title: The vicious circle
Post by Moti on Nov 24^th, 2002, 1:34pm

circleHow can you draw a circle around a person standing in a room so that he can't jump out of it even though his legs are free?

Title: Re: The vicious circle
Post by Garzahd on Nov 24^th, 2002, 5:27pm

Draw it on his waist?

But then he'd have to buy new clothes, which sucks.

Maybe a tattoo would be better.

Title: Re: The vicious circle
Post by Chronos on Nov 24^th, 2002, 7:31pm

You might try drawing the circle very large, or even outside the room. But even then, he could still jump out. He just couldn't do it in one jump, from his starting point.

Title: Re: The vicious circle
Post by jeremiahsmith on Nov 24^th, 2002, 10:25pm

Who said he had to stay still in the circle? If you drew a huge circle, he could walk to the edge and jump out. I would suggest drawing it just inside the walls of the room, so he couldn't jump out without going through a wall (a feat which most human beings, being solid matter, cannot accomplish easily.) Of course, the room would have to be shaped like a circle... hmm.

Title: Re: The vicious circle
Post by towr on Nov 25^th, 2002, 12:32am

Since the world is round it can be argued that any circle on the earth surrounds everybody. So to make sure someone can't jump out of it, make it too small to jump into it..

Title: Re: The vicious circle
Post by Speaker on Nov 25^th, 2002, 1:38am

How about drawing the circle on the ceiling.

Then this person, could walk out, but not jump out. That is unless they jumped out of the room. Well this doesn't seem to be a suitable answer.

But I don't think that you can draw it around the edges of the room, because then it wouldn't be a circle.

How about just drawing on the walls all the way around the room. Not a round circle, but impossible to jump out of...

Title: Re: The vicious circle
Post by James Fingas on Nov 25^th, 2002, 9:13am

If the room is only one foot high, then he won't be jumping out of any circles...

Alternately, just shoot him. Dead men can't jump.

However, I think the intended answer is:

Draw the circle so that the person is outside to start with. If he's not in the circle, he can't very well jump out of it! <UPDATE: towr made a good point--this circle wouldn't be around him--doh!>

Title: Re: The vicious circle
Post by towr on Nov 25^th, 2002, 9:23am

the problem specifically states drawing the circle around him..
The circle can't be around him, unless he's in it..

Title: Re: The vicious circle
Post by lukes new shoes on Nov 27^th, 2002, 4:52pm

draw the circle around his waist?

maybe if the room was spherical u could draw a vertical circle up one wall, across the roof, down the opposite side and then along the floor, between his legs.

Title: Re: The vicious circle
Post by Tarazik on Nov 28^th, 2002, 8:14pm

You could of course just use an alternate meaning for "around". If you replace around with "in the vicinity of"
you get

How can you draw a circle in the vicinity of a person standing in a room so that he can't jump out of it even though his legs are free?

Then you could draw it next to the person...I think that is the intended answer.

Otherwise you could use a rope, "draw" a circle around the person by lassoing them (NOT THEIR FEET OR LEGS) then they could not jump out because they are tied down, although their feet and legs are free.