Paper folded 50 times will reach the Sun : Common sense misconceptions
Common sense is something that in most cases we rely on, but can actually cause many misconceptions, and can also sometimes be harmful or dangerous.
Video link : https://youtu.be/C6ViU8YWuoc
With common sense, we extrapolate our ideas or judge other phenomena, things, or sequences based on our other similar limited experiences.
The reason I am talking about this today is that I just came across this example and I thought I will share it.
The question is - Can you fold a sheet of paper 50 times where every time you fold it, you double it and its thickness?
Most people will answer -" sure, why not! "
You ask them to try it !!
and very soon they will realize that they can do it about 6 times! not even 7!
Here is the major mind-boggler, do you know that regular paper folded 50 times
will reach The Sun ~ or become 112 Million Km thick ???
Additional fact folding it 42 times will reach the Moon.
Common sense does not tell us that...
This reminds me of a similar concept to this is a question or puzzle I read as a kid:
(1) I will give you a Million dollars today
or
(2) I will give you One dollar today and double it every day for a month?
In the second option, you will make 1000x times 1 million i.e. you will make more than a billion $1,073,741,824 dollars to be precise.
The first paper-folding example seems more prone to common sense errors I think.
Just sharing thoughts...
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