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  3. A gentle puzzle I was just asked.

A gentle puzzle I was just asked.

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved The Lounge
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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
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                        • 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

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                          • 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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                                • 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.

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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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                                      • 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
                                        Marc Clifton
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #29

                                        This is why I hated math word problems. To me, the "largest negative integer" is -infinity because, for example, -3 is "larger" than -2 on the "negative" scale. "Largeness" to me is ambiguous. But my brain works in weird ways when it comes to converting words into math expressions.

                                        Latest Articles:
                                        A Lightweight Thread Safe In-Memory Keyed Generic Cache Collection Service A Dynamic Where Implementation for Entity Framework

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                                        • K k5054

                                          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 Offline
                                          OriginalGriffO Offline
                                          OriginalGriff
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #30

                                          Yes, you owe a larger amount - which means you have a lower bank balance!

                                          "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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