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  3. A gentle puzzle I was just asked.

A gentle puzzle I was just asked.

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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

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          • 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
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            • 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
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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!

                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

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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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                                    • P PIEBALDconsult

                                      Is zero positive?

                                      M Offline
                                      M Offline
                                      MarkTJohnson
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #26

                                      1 - (-1) = 1+1 = 2

                                      I’ve given up trying to be calm. However, I am open to feeling slightly less agitated. I’m begging you for the benefit of everyone, don’t be STUPID.

                                      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!

                                        M Offline
                                        M Offline
                                        Member 11561335
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #27

                                        Isn't it just 2? I mean the smallest positive int is 1. The largest negative int is -1. (-1 is bigger than -2) so it's just 1 - (-1) which is 2.

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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!

                                          K Offline
                                          K Offline
                                          k5054
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #28

                                          The question is ambiguous in terms of what "largest negative" means. In a strict mathematical sense, that number is -1. But in an natural language sense, "largest negative" would mean "most negative". For example, when my bank account hits $-500, I owe a larger amount than when its only $-10!

                                          "A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants" Chuckles the clown

                                          OriginalGriffO J 0 D P 5 Replies Last reply
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