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  3. A gentle puzzle I was just asked.

A gentle puzzle I was just asked.

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  • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

    What is the smallest positive integer minus the largest negative integer?

    "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 AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

    O Offline
    O Offline
    obermd
    wrote on last edited by
    #6

    Arithmetic Overflow. :laugh:

    1 Reply Last reply
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    • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

      What is the smallest positive integer minus the largest negative integer?

      "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 AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

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

      Well, considering the largest negative integer tends to infinity…

      R 1 Reply Last reply
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      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

        What is the smallest positive integer minus the largest negative integer?

        "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 AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

        A Offline
        A Offline
        Amarnath S
        wrote on last edited by
        #8

        Smallest positive integer = 1 Largest negative integer = -1 Difference is 2.

        R OriginalGriffO R L J 6 Replies Last reply
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        • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

          Infinity - if you're talking about real numbers.

          The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

          D Offline
          D Offline
          dandy72
          wrote on last edited by
          #9

          If we're talking about whole integers, wouldn't it be minus infinity plus one?

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          • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

            What is the smallest positive integer minus the largest negative integer?

            "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 AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

            Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
            Kornfeld Eliyahu PeterK Offline
            Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter
            wrote on last edited by
            #10

            It seems a lot read it wrongly... The art of understanding a question...

            "If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization." ― Gerald Weinberg

            "It never ceases to amaze me that a spacecraft launched in 1977 can be fixed remotely from Earth." ― Brian Cox

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            • A Amarnath S

              Smallest positive integer = 1 Largest negative integer = -1 Difference is 2.

              R Offline
              R Offline
              Rage
              wrote on last edited by
              #11

              That was my first shot as well, but the answers above cast a big doubt. I am too naive.

              Do not escape reality : improve reality !

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              • Richard Andrew x64R Richard Andrew x64

                Infinity - if you're talking about real numbers.

                The difficult we do right away... ...the impossible takes slightly longer.

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

                Oh? Is -2 bigger than -1 now? :-D

                "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 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

                P D 2 Replies Last reply
                0
                • R Rich Leyshon

                  Undefined, tending to infinity???

                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                  OriginalGriff
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #13

                  So which is bigger: -1 or -2?

                  "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 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

                  R L 2 Replies Last reply
                  0
                  • A Amarnath S

                    Smallest positive integer = 1 Largest negative integer = -1 Difference is 2.

                    OriginalGriffO Offline
                    OriginalGriffO Offline
                    OriginalGriff
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #14

                    Dat's de bunny! :thumbsup: Surprising how many people think -2 is bigger than -1. :-D

                    "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 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

                    B 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                      What is the smallest positive integer minus the largest negative integer?

                      "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 AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                      P Offline
                      P Offline
                      PIEBALDconsult
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #15

                      Is zero positive?

                      J OriginalGriffO R M M 5 Replies Last reply
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                      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                        Dat's de bunny! :thumbsup: Surprising how many people think -2 is bigger than -1. :-D

                        "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 AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                        B Offline
                        B Offline
                        Brisingr Aerowing
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #16

                        Also what I got, mostly as I've had to solve this puzzle in multiple math classes, and was usually the only person to get it right (sadly).

                        What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question? The metaphorical solid rear-end expulsions have impacted the metaphorical motorized bladed rotating air movement mechanism. Do questions with multiple question marks annoy you???

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                        • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                          What is the smallest positive integer minus the largest negative integer?

                          "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 AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                          C Offline
                          C Offline
                          CPallini
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #17

                          10. Or, possibly, 42.

                          "In testa che avete, Signor di Ceprano?" -- Rigoletto

                          J 1 Reply Last reply
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                          • P PIEBALDconsult

                            Is zero positive?

                            J Offline
                            J Offline
                            Jeremy Falcon
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #18

                            From a comp sci and data representation perspective, yes. Not sure about the math perspective.

                            Jeremy Falcon

                            OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • C CPallini

                              10. Or, possibly, 42.

                              "In testa che avete, Signor di Ceprano?" -- Rigoletto

                              J Offline
                              J Offline
                              Jeremy Falcon
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #19

                              It's always 42; we just didn't invent the math yet to get us there.

                              Jeremy Falcon

                              OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
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                              • J Jeremy Falcon

                                From a comp sci and data representation perspective, yes. Not sure about the math perspective.

                                Jeremy Falcon

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

                                From a math perspective, zero is neither positive nor negative: Negative number - Wikipedia[^]

                                "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 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
                                • P PIEBALDconsult

                                  Is zero positive?

                                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                                  OriginalGriff
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #21

                                  From a math perspective, zero is neither positive nor negative: Negative number - Wikipedia[^]

                                  "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 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 Jeremy Falcon

                                    It's always 42; we just didn't invent the math yet to get us there.

                                    Jeremy Falcon

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

                                    We did: fractional bases[^] - but it makes my head hurt trying to think of them ... :-D

                                    "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 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
                                    • P PIEBALDconsult

                                      Is zero positive?

                                      R Offline
                                      R Offline
                                      RainHat
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #23

                                      It can be positive, negative or unsigned depending on the representation and how it is used. Fnu

                                      P 1 Reply Last reply
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                                      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                        What is the smallest positive integer minus the largest negative integer?

                                        "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 AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

                                        H Offline
                                        H Offline
                                        honey the codewitch
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #24

                                        at what bit depth? ;P

                                        Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix

                                        OriginalGriffO 1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • H honey the codewitch

                                          at what bit depth? ;P

                                          Check out my IoT graphics library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/gfx And my IoT UI/User Experience library here: https://honeythecodewitch.com/uix

                                          OriginalGriffO Offline
                                          OriginalGriffO Offline
                                          OriginalGriff
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #25

                                          Start with two bit signed numbers and work your way up from there ... :-D That always made me laugh - back in the day when CD players were the Bee's Knees they proudly announced the kit contained a "1 bit DA converter" on the adverts (and the player, normally).

                                          "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 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

                                          P J 2 Replies Last reply
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