Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
  • World
  • Users
  • Groups
Skins
  • Light
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Code Project
  1. Home
  2. The Lounge
  3. The potato paradox

The potato paradox

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved The Lounge
htmlcomquestion
53 Posts 18 Posters 2 Views 1 Watching
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

    50lbs. 1lb == 1% of 100lb, and 2% == 50lbs So as not to give the game away! (hilight to reveal)

    Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

    L Offline
    L Offline
    Lost User
    wrote on last edited by
    #7

    Forgive me for being thick but I cannot get my head round that. In 100lb there is 1lb of starch and 99 lbs of water (yes?). So if you lose 1% of the water, isn't that just 1lb less than before?

    OriginalGriffO W M N 4 Replies Last reply
    0
    • M Munchies_Matt

      I dont get it. Should be 99.0001 lbs or some such.

      OriginalGriffO Offline
      OriginalGriffO Offline
      OriginalGriff
      wrote on last edited by
      #8

      OK, so 100ib of potatoes, 99% water. That means that 1% is not water, and that weighs 1lb. If you reduce the water content to 98%, that doesn't affect the non-water part, so 1lb of the potatoes is now 2% of the total. If 2% of the weight is 1lb, then the total weight is now 50lb. For 97% you get 33.3lb, 96% gives 25lb, and so on.

      Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
      "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

      M 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • L Lost User

        Forgive me for being thick but I cannot get my head round that. In 100lb there is 1lb of starch and 99 lbs of water (yes?). So if you lose 1% of the water, isn't that just 1lb less than before?

        OriginalGriffO Offline
        OriginalGriffO Offline
        OriginalGriff
        wrote on last edited by
        #9

        OK, so 100ib of potatoes, 99% water. That means that 1% is not water, and that weighs 1lb. If you reduce the water content to 98%, that doesn't affect the non-water part, so 1lb of the potatoes is now 2% of the total. If 2% of the weight is 1lb, then the total weight is now 50lb. For 97% you get 33.3lb, 96% gives 25lb, and so on.

        Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
        "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

        L 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • L Lost User

          Quote:

          No googling, ok.

          Ok, but than please ask it for 45.359237 kg ;P :-D

          It does not solve my Problem, but it answers my question

          OriginalGriffO Offline
          OriginalGriffO Offline
          OriginalGriff
          wrote on last edited by
          #10

          OK - the new weight is 22.679618kg.

          Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

          "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
          "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

            OK, so 100ib of potatoes, 99% water. That means that 1% is not water, and that weighs 1lb. If you reduce the water content to 98%, that doesn't affect the non-water part, so 1lb of the potatoes is now 2% of the total. If 2% of the weight is 1lb, then the total weight is now 50lb. For 97% you get 33.3lb, 96% gives 25lb, and so on.

            Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

            L Offline
            L Offline
            Lost User
            wrote on last edited by
            #11

            :thumbsup: I knew it would be simple.

            OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • L Lost User

              :thumbsup: I knew it would be simple.

              OriginalGriffO Offline
              OriginalGriffO Offline
              OriginalGriff
              wrote on last edited by
              #12

              It's simple when you see it! :laugh: If I recall correctly, I scratched my head a fair amount the first time I saw this one.

              Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

              "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
              "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • J Jorgen Andersson

                You have 100 lb of "mathematical" potatoes, which are 99 percent water by weight. You let them dehydrate until they're 98 percent water. How much do they weigh now? No googling, ok.

                Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                L Offline
                L Offline
                Lost User
                wrote on last edited by
                #13

                That's more lettuce than potato. A potato will clock in at roughly 75% water (just a tad more than a human). Still a nice example where math beats intuition :thumbsup:

                Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                J 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                  OK, so 100ib of potatoes, 99% water. That means that 1% is not water, and that weighs 1lb. If you reduce the water content to 98%, that doesn't affect the non-water part, so 1lb of the potatoes is now 2% of the total. If 2% of the weight is 1lb, then the total weight is now 50lb. For 97% you get 33.3lb, 96% gives 25lb, and so on.

                  Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                  M Offline
                  M Offline
                  Munchies_Matt
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #14

                  "To 98%" of what is the question. The original weight or the final weight. That wasnt specified. :)

                  OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • M Munchies_Matt

                    "To 98%" of what is the question. The original weight or the final weight. That wasnt specified. :)

                    OriginalGriffO Offline
                    OriginalGriffO Offline
                    OriginalGriff
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #15

                    Quote:

                    You let them dehydrate until they're 98 percent water.

                    That's pretty clear!

                    Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                    "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                    "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                    M P 2 Replies Last reply
                    0
                    • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                      Quote:

                      You let them dehydrate until they're 98 percent water.

                      That's pretty clear!

                      Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                      M Offline
                      M Offline
                      Munchies_Matt
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #16

                      Nothing is clear in the land of language....

                      B 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • L Lost User

                        That's more lettuce than potato. A potato will clock in at roughly 75% water (just a tad more than a human). Still a nice example where math beats intuition :thumbsup:

                        Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                        J Offline
                        J Offline
                        Jorgen Andersson
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #17

                        These are 'mathematical' potatoes. :) But feel free to substitute with jellyfish if you want to.

                        Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                        L 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • J Jorgen Andersson

                          These are 'mathematical' potatoes. :) But feel free to substitute with jellyfish if you want to.

                          Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                          L Offline
                          L Offline
                          Lost User
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #18

                          Could as well have chosen a mathematical ball of lead with 99% water-content. --edit It is misleading, since we have some "experience" with potatoes not shrinking 50% when they lay in the basement.

                          Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                          J OriginalGriffO 2 Replies Last reply
                          0
                          • L Lost User

                            Could as well have chosen a mathematical ball of lead with 99% water-content. --edit It is misleading, since we have some "experience" with potatoes not shrinking 50% when they lay in the basement.

                            Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                            J Offline
                            J Offline
                            Jorgen Andersson
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #19

                            Indeed.

                            Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • L Lost User

                              Could as well have chosen a mathematical ball of lead with 99% water-content. --edit It is misleading, since we have some "experience" with potatoes not shrinking 50% when they lay in the basement.

                              Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                              OriginalGriffO Offline
                              OriginalGriffO Offline
                              OriginalGriff
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #20

                              That's because they start out at 80% water, not 99%. And because nobody regularly checks their spuds for water content... :laugh:

                              Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                              "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                              "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                              L 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                That's because they start out at 80% water, not 99%. And because nobody regularly checks their spuds for water content... :laugh:

                                Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                L Offline
                                L Offline
                                Lost User
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #21

                                OriginalGriff wrote:

                                And because nobody regularly checks their spuds for water content... :laugh:

                                I keep potatoes in a dark and cool closet. After 3 months, they may have lost "some" weight, but not the same amount as your "mathematical" potatoes. Non-mathematical potatoes do not loose water in a mathematical linear way.

                                Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                                OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • L Lost User

                                  OriginalGriff wrote:

                                  And because nobody regularly checks their spuds for water content... :laugh:

                                  I keep potatoes in a dark and cool closet. After 3 months, they may have lost "some" weight, but not the same amount as your "mathematical" potatoes. Non-mathematical potatoes do not loose water in a mathematical linear way.

                                  Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                                  OriginalGriff
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #22

                                  Eddy Vluggen wrote:

                                  Non-mathematical potatoes do not loose water in a mathematical linear way.

                                  Or as quickly - unless you use the fridge / freezer as a dehydration device, as you do for Triple-Cooked Chips, where reducing the volume of the chips before the final frying probably does approach 50%

                                  Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                  "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                                  "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                                  L 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                    Eddy Vluggen wrote:

                                    Non-mathematical potatoes do not loose water in a mathematical linear way.

                                    Or as quickly - unless you use the fridge / freezer as a dehydration device, as you do for Triple-Cooked Chips, where reducing the volume of the chips before the final frying probably does approach 50%

                                    Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                    L Offline
                                    L Offline
                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #23

                                    In which case you extracted more than 1% of liquid. This was also not about volume; are you sure the shrinking is due to the loss of water? Or could it just be a reaction of those sticks to sudden cold when taking out of the oil? :)

                                    Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                                    OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • L Lost User

                                      In which case you extracted more than 1% of liquid. This was also not about volume; are you sure the shrinking is due to the loss of water? Or could it just be a reaction of those sticks to sudden cold when taking out of the oil? :)

                                      Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                                      OriginalGriffO Offline
                                      OriginalGriff
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #24

                                      Nope: you cut 'em, you simmer them until soft, then cool and into the fridge for 4 or 5 hours. When they come out, they are already smaller as the fridge has reduced the water content. Low temperature fry - 130C - cool, and back in the fridge for another 4 to 5 hours. When they come out, they are significantly smaller than they started! Then the high temp fry - 190C - drain and serve. Damn good chips - but quite a palaver (especially making enough room in the damn fridge).

                                      Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                                      "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                                      L J W 3 Replies Last reply
                                      0
                                      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                        Nope: you cut 'em, you simmer them until soft, then cool and into the fridge for 4 or 5 hours. When they come out, they are already smaller as the fridge has reduced the water content. Low temperature fry - 130C - cool, and back in the fridge for another 4 to 5 hours. When they come out, they are significantly smaller than they started! Then the high temp fry - 190C - drain and serve. Damn good chips - but quite a palaver (especially making enough room in the damn fridge).

                                        Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640 Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay... AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                        L Offline
                                        L Offline
                                        Lost User
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #25

                                        OriginalGriff wrote:

                                        Nope: you cut 'em, you simmer them until soft, then cool and into the fridge for 4 or 5 hours. When they come out, they are already smaller as the fridge has reduced the water content.

                                        So, you let them dry in your fridge and obsorb all the nice smells in there? :D

                                        OriginalGriff wrote:

                                        Low temperature fry - 130C - cool, and back in the fridge for another 4 to 5 hours. When they come out, they are significantly smaller than they started!

                                        Which isn't very surprising after having been cooked, cooled, brought to cook in oil and cool again. Fact remains that it is not a mathematical potato, and that you removed more than 1% of liquid. As you probably know, lettuce IS mostly water, moreso than potatoes. Freeze your lettuce for an hour or four, then defrost. You'll find that those non-mathematical lettuce has lost more than just half of its water.

                                        Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^] "If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • J Jorgen Andersson

                                          You have 100 lb of "mathematical" potatoes, which are 99 percent water by weight. You let them dehydrate until they're 98 percent water. How much do they weigh now? No googling, ok.

                                          Wrong is evil and must be defeated. - Jeff Ello

                                          Richard DeemingR Offline
                                          Richard DeemingR Offline
                                          Richard Deeming
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #26

                                          Jörgen Andersson wrote:

                                          No googling, ok.

                                          Given that Google's conversion tool has been claiming that an imperial pint is exactly 500ml for several months at least, I'm not sure it would help anyway. :doh: 1 imperial pint in ml - Google Search[^] (See the description of the first result under the tool if you're not sure what the problem is.)


                                          "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer

                                          "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined" - Homer

                                          J 1 Reply Last reply
                                          0
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes


                                          • Login

                                          • Don't have an account? Register

                                          • Login or register to search.
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • Categories
                                          • Recent
                                          • Tags
                                          • Popular
                                          • World
                                          • Users
                                          • Groups