If someone hears it, yeah it does.
Escalator Riddle
- Thread starter muttclugg
- Start date
If someone hears it, yeah it does.
Soldato
- Joined
- 8 Feb 2009
- Posts
- 3,462
- Location
- Sheffield
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Mar 2008
- Posts
- 12,751
Yes, what's the problem?
Soldato
- Joined
- 25 Sep 2003
- Posts
- 3,750
- Location
- Manchester
You'll pass more steps running than you would walking.
Last edited:
From the BBC
On Monday Fiona from Wellington asked whether you walk up fewer steps by hurrying up an escalator. Nick Allen, the Monitor's formula buff, writes:
"When you think about it, you experience the maximum number of escalator steps if you go at a very *high* speed - because the escalator barely has time to move while you're on it!
The formula goes like this: n = [ p/(p+e) ] x N where n is the number of steps you experience, p is your walking speed, e the escalator's speed and N the total number of steps on the escalator.
So at an infinite, Billy Whizz-type speed, n becomes equal to N and you get to cover all the steps. The same happens if e = 0 (because the escalator is broken!) The formula does suggest that if your walking speed is zero you experience no steps at all - which isn't quite right in reality, because you do experience at least one, but that's just because there is a finite number of steps."
As ever, Monitor readers are invited to send their comments.
On Monday Fiona from Wellington asked whether you walk up fewer steps by hurrying up an escalator. Nick Allen, the Monitor's formula buff, writes:
"When you think about it, you experience the maximum number of escalator steps if you go at a very *high* speed - because the escalator barely has time to move while you're on it!
The formula goes like this: n = [ p/(p+e) ] x N where n is the number of steps you experience, p is your walking speed, e the escalator's speed and N the total number of steps on the escalator.
So at an infinite, Billy Whizz-type speed, n becomes equal to N and you get to cover all the steps. The same happens if e = 0 (because the escalator is broken!) The formula does suggest that if your walking speed is zero you experience no steps at all - which isn't quite right in reality, because you do experience at least one, but that's just because there is a finite number of steps."
As ever, Monitor readers are invited to send their comments.
Soldato
- Joined
- 9 Oct 2006
- Posts
- 3,761
- Location
- here
Surely thats not quite right as you step on to the first step (granted that it has to be the same level as you when you step on to it) as opposed up on a step. Therefore you dont experience any steps upwards, just forwards as per previous motion of moving on to the escalator.
Soldato
- Joined
- 19 Dec 2008
- Posts
- 3,499
- Location
- London, UK
take the lift
/solved
/solved
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Aug 2005
- Posts
- 8,971
- Location
- Clydebank
if the escalator has 20 steps to the top, and you get on at the bottom, and for every step you make, the escalator moves up 1 step, then by walking up the escalator you will have taken 10 steps to the top.
if you run (standing on every step), at say 2x the speed, then you will move up one step,as the number of steps remaining goes down by half. This means you will take 15 steps to reach the top.
However, most people would in fact, 'skip' every second step whilst running. If you take 2 steps in the same time as you'd take one walking, then you reduce you step count by half, making it 5 steps. but this time saved means there is still another 5 steps to climb, so that's an additional 2 steps more required making 7 steps in total.
If you do this at say 2x speed, then every stride taken you'll need to stride 0.5 a step less. Take 5 strides and that's you climbed 10 steps, with 2.5 steps 'gone' leaving 17.5 steps less 10 = 7.5 remaining. Take another 2 strides and that leaves 3.5, less 1 step leaves 2.5, so exactly another one stride. Total of 8 strides, if you skip a step and climb 2x speed.....
actually i've confused my self now.. ... but i think i rescued it...
So basically, walk as slow as possible, but take the biggest strides to get to the top quickest, but taking the least strides.
if you run (standing on every step), at say 2x the speed, then you will move up one step,as the number of steps remaining goes down by half. This means you will take 15 steps to reach the top.
However, most people would in fact, 'skip' every second step whilst running. If you take 2 steps in the same time as you'd take one walking, then you reduce you step count by half, making it 5 steps. but this time saved means there is still another 5 steps to climb, so that's an additional 2 steps more required making 7 steps in total.
If you do this at say 2x speed, then every stride taken you'll need to stride 0.5 a step less. Take 5 strides and that's you climbed 10 steps, with 2.5 steps 'gone' leaving 17.5 steps less 10 = 7.5 remaining. Take another 2 strides and that leaves 3.5, less 1 step leaves 2.5, so exactly another one stride. Total of 8 strides, if you skip a step and climb 2x speed.....
actually i've confused my self now.. ... but i think i rescued it...
So basically, walk as slow as possible, but take the biggest strides to get to the top quickest, but taking the least strides.
Last edited:
Neither True or False, can't believe you guys cannot grasp such a simple concept.
It depends how fast or slow you run/walk.
As time progresses the amount of steps needed to be taken reduces, if you walk very slow then yes, you won't need to use that many, but if you run you may avoid one each step, that would also all depend on the size of said escalator.
It depends how fast or slow you run/walk.
As time progresses the amount of steps needed to be taken reduces, if you walk very slow then yes, you won't need to use that many, but if you run you may avoid one each step, that would also all depend on the size of said escalator.
The distance between bottom and top of the escalator is the same regardless of how quickly or slowly you ascend.
Therefore false, as for instance if the escalator is 10 steps tall (non moving steps) you run up the escalator and climb 6 steps you have still moved a distance of 10 steps. if you walk and climb 3 you have still arrived at the same destination point of 10 steps higher in the exact same spot.
So in the above situation regardless of how many steps you rested on during the way up you still climbed 10 escalator steps.
Therefore false, as for instance if the escalator is 10 steps tall (non moving steps) you run up the escalator and climb 6 steps you have still moved a distance of 10 steps. if you walk and climb 3 you have still arrived at the same destination point of 10 steps higher in the exact same spot.
So in the above situation regardless of how many steps you rested on during the way up you still climbed 10 escalator steps.
Last edited:
One man is walking up at 10 steps per minute.
One man is running up at 40 steps per minute.
The walking man will take less steps, but spend longer on the escalator. By the time he's taken 10 steps, he'll be at the top.
The running man will take more steps and spend less time on the escalator. He'll sprint up 30 or so steps in no time.
One man is running up at 40 steps per minute.
The walking man will take less steps, but spend longer on the escalator. By the time he's taken 10 steps, he'll be at the top.
The running man will take more steps and spend less time on the escalator. He'll sprint up 30 or so steps in no time.
Last edited:
Problem is I am failing to understand what people are trying to understand here...
