Jul 30, 2011
A monk named Baba climbs a mountain to see the High Lama. He leaves at 6 A.M. He must reach the top by 6 P.M. There's only one trail, and he must not leave it.
Baba travels at varying speeds, stopping along the way to meditate, play with his Game Boy, etc. He never goes backward. At 6 P.M. he arrives, saying "Hi, Lama!" The next morning at 6, Baba goes back down. Once again, he stops to smell the flowers, eat a Twinkie, etc., reaching the bottom at 6 P.M.
Is there any point along the trail where he finds himself at exactly the same time on both days? In other words, is there any time when he is at the exact same spot where he was at that time yesterday?
Baba travels at varying speeds, stopping along the way to meditate, play with his Game Boy, etc. He never goes backward. At 6 P.M. he arrives, saying "Hi, Lama!" The next morning at 6, Baba goes back down. Once again, he stops to smell the flowers, eat a Twinkie, etc., reaching the bottom at 6 P.M.
Is there any point along the trail where he finds himself at exactly the same time on both days? In other words, is there any time when he is at the exact same spot where he was at that time yesterday?
Answer:
Here's the answer: Yes! The easiest way to think about it is this: What if Baba were twins, and at the very moment that he started out at the bottom of the mountain, his twin started out at the top of the mountain? They would have to cross paths at some point along the trail.
