2006-07-12 03:40:07 · 42 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
You've probably heard that it's impossible to fold a sheet of paper in half more than seven or eight times. Usually you're also told that it doesn't matter how big or thin the sheet is.
Try folding a sheet of notebook paper. You'll probably find that it is pretty tough to get beyond eight folds. However, just because people—even experts—say something's impossible doesn't mean it is. That's what high-school student Britney Gallivan discovered when she succeeded in folding a sheet in half an unheard-of 12 times. She had to solve the problem to get extra credit in one of her math classes.
2006-07-12 03:46:15 · answer #1 · answered by mrsdamico22 3 · 8⤊ 0⤋
Whether or not it is 7, 9 or any other number of times that a particular sheet of paper can be folded the point is that, after n folds of a shhet of paper of thickness t, the thickness of the folded paper, T, is given by T=2^nxt. With 9 folds this means a thickness of over 1000 times as much as the original. Whatever the original thickness, it will soon get hard to do it!
2006-07-12 05:36:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is 100% positively true that you cannot fold a piece of paper more than 7 times. Believe it or not there has actually been lab tests done to this matter. The piece of paper must be dry however, you can fold a piece of wet paper more than 7 times. Hope this helps.
2016-03-27 02:26:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well there will be people saying it is true but I have actually folded a piece of paper in half 8 times just because I am awkward and wanted to prove I could do the "impossible"
2006-07-12 10:53:15 · answer #4 · answered by Evil J.Twin 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is probably true that you can only fold paper 7 times in half by hand, regardless of size of paper, but I done a test at work once using a compactor for crushing concrete and we definitely achieved more than seven,(eight looked okay, but nine was just mush.) On the plus side I won a tenner on the wager though.
2006-07-12 03:48:54 · answer #5 · answered by neilnicjams 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. This is easily tested by taking a large sheet of paper and having a go. The thickness of the paper makes folding impractical by 7th attempt to fold.
2006-07-12 09:44:14 · answer #6 · answered by Ian H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What makes folding a piece of paper in half hard is as it gets smaller the creases get stronger and become harder and harder to bend without warping the entire object. So If there is a piece of paper that is really brittle and cracks at the crease one should really be able to fold a piece of paper as many times as is needed. So it really depends on the paper used.
For normal paper, though, yah its only 7 times.
2006-07-12 03:58:13 · answer #7 · answered by bartathalon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a paper can be fold in half more then 7 times. i just tried a paper and was able to fold in half 8 times
2006-07-12 03:46:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is TRUE. it was on a science programme recently where they had a very large bit of paper. (The size of a bus) And a team of people could only fold it 7 times no matter what way they tried.
2006-07-12 03:46:01 · answer #9 · answered by Floozy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought it was nine.... but yes, not matter how thin or large the paper is it can only be folded in half a definate amount of times.
2006-07-12 03:43:26 · answer #10 · answered by Liz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋