UAH > Math > Math Club > Luncheon Talk 4/20/2000

A Cat, an Elephant and Marcus Pendergrass
or Under the Rope and Back


Dr. Boris Kunin

Mathematical Sciences Department
University of Alabama in Huntsville

April 20, 2000

A loop of unstretched string is tied around the Earth's equator. A cut is made, and an extra 1 yard of string is spliced in. The resulting loop is stretched into a circle in the equator plane at a uniform distance from the Earth's surface. Which of the following creatures should be able to crawl under the string without disturbing it?

  1. a bacteria, but not a lady bug.
  2. a lady bug, but not a cat.
  3. a cat, but not an elephant
  4. an elephant, but not King Kong

The answer will be most clearly and expeditiously presented at the beginning of the talk. After that, things will be progressively muddied until time runs out.