The Potato Paradox

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  • Опубліковано 28 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 8 тис.

  • @Vsauce2
    @Vsauce2  6 років тому +13242

    Go tell someone that salad is 5% away from being soup.

  • @alltheaudios3162
    @alltheaudios3162 5 років тому +3439

    Kevin: what's more water than watermelon?
    Me: water.

  • @SirWrender
    @SirWrender 6 років тому +5893

    Next time I get asked if I want "soup or salad" I might have an existential crisis...

    • @tonihurani1325
      @tonihurani1325 6 років тому +141

      What is a SuperSalad???

    • @nblade66
      @nblade66 6 років тому +67

      But how much percentage of water is needed for soup? In fact, I think some soup would have a lower percentage of water than salad. Hmmm. Also, would salad even become soup or would it be a beverage, like a juice?

    • @hansdampf478
      @hansdampf478 6 років тому +6

      @wrenthereaper just answer the question. no hard time. 1st world problems.

    • @ML-iw9zg
      @ML-iw9zg 6 років тому +15

      especially if it is potato salad

    • @TheRguru1
      @TheRguru1 6 років тому +11

      "I would like to have my salad as a soup."

  • @enione7251
    @enione7251 5 років тому +1942

    Famous catchphrases:
    Michael: Or is it?
    Kevin: WRONG

  • @happyfakeboulder644
    @happyfakeboulder644 5 років тому +1389

    "You must hug your potatoes so that they know that you care." -- Kevin, 2018

  • @shotbyp4ul
    @shotbyp4ul 5 років тому +2540

    Newborns are 15% away from being soup.

  • @TierZoo
    @TierZoo 6 років тому +2078

    I always hug my potatoes so that they know I care

    • @lucafrancis3222
      @lucafrancis3222 6 років тому +91

      TierZoo I heard this will also give you a boost in the happiness stat.

    • @jackstone112
      @jackstone112 6 років тому +71

      TierZoo please do the vegetable meta!

    • @MRFAFF3L
      @MRFAFF3L 6 років тому +20

      Need a witty comment so I can be noticed by two senpai's at once...
      Damn!

    • @PolyChromium
      @PolyChromium 6 років тому +18

      What tier are potatoes? I mean, they can clone, which did lead to the great Irish Potato Famine of [insert year] (yes, this is a real thing that lead to the starvation of thousands of Irish), but they can withstand the cold pretty well.
      Heck, why not make a tier list for all root vegetals, or all of the well known vegetales?

    • @YouSwellow
      @YouSwellow 6 років тому +19

      Incoming Potato buffs confirmed

  • @ErikDaGreat
    @ErikDaGreat 5 років тому +1002

    Someone: right?
    Vsauce: *_WRONG_*

    • @theabyssaldemon
      @theabyssaldemon 5 років тому +21

      Erik *proceeds to circle wrong with a sharpie*

    • @Catboy34uwu
      @Catboy34uwu 4 роки тому +4

      This is the requirement to become a Vsauce

    • @ibrahimali3192
      @ibrahimali3192 5 місяців тому

      i know this is off topic but i lost the game

    • @Joe-ts1cb
      @Joe-ts1cb 2 місяці тому

      I'm the 1000th person to like this comment.

  • @chriscj9007
    @chriscj9007 5 років тому +391

    The Vsauce paradox: Whenever Vsauce says Right?, It is always wrong.

    • @NbaYoungboylover
      @NbaYoungboylover 3 роки тому +8

      What if he says "I am wrong,Right?"

    • @eseopu
      @eseopu 3 роки тому +1

      2:48

    • @light_asaii4858
      @light_asaii4858 2 роки тому

      OR IS IT

    • @skarma9673
      @skarma9673 2 роки тому

      It always is... wrong! It’s always wrong unless it isn’t... sometimes, it’s rare but it’s right!

  • @tiny021085
    @tiny021085 5 років тому +1601

    Easier way to explain this. 100lbs and 1% is solid matter. So that's 1lb solid matter. They dry out and now it's 2% solid matter. But still only 1lb. And if 1lb is 2% of the total weight, then the total weight must be 50lb. You don't even have to do the water % math this way to get the same result.

    • @misheck3861
      @misheck3861 5 років тому +126

      You see I was looking for a Siple answer and this explains it properly. I totally understand this concept bet the dude in the video doesn't know how to describe what he is say. If you can't described something in a simple manner you do not understand it well. Thanks for the comment helped a lot.

    • @mimszanadunstedt441
      @mimszanadunstedt441 5 років тому +46

      Its because 2% is a wrong assumption. Guess thats why he circled wrong repeatedly. In which case whats the point of this video, to prevent ppl from making mistakes? People will click-off the video. Then next video he makes is a video on paradox also, because, what, you think the audience didn't get the paradox? Maybe its on you kevin maybe its on you.

    • @kumbu132
      @kumbu132 5 років тому +3

      @@misheck3861 yeh

    • @ElleryPayne
      @ElleryPayne 5 років тому +30

      I am glad the dude is trying to help people understand math in a way, but this is not how you explain the analytics of solving this problem. Might as well watch TedEd instead of these videos. The value of this 10 minute long video is equal or if not then less than the value of your comment.

    • @allennaliath2477
      @allennaliath2477 5 років тому +38

      Exactly. I got 50lbs, and people who’ve taken an Algebra course should get this as well. Not remotely close to a paradox.

  • @ezip8564
    @ezip8564 5 років тому +757

    Waiter: soup or salad?
    Kevin: *yes*

  • @azurepelletier1574
    @azurepelletier1574 5 років тому +419

    “What’s more water than watermelon?”
    Me: water.
    “LETTUCE”
    Me: oh. Right

    • @alltheaudios3162
      @alltheaudios3162 4 роки тому +1

      Caliesto pelletier umm u stole my comment
      Dk if it was intentional but still...

    • @theblackknight101
      @theblackknight101 4 роки тому +1

      Its not stealing if its unintentional

    • @alltheaudios3162
      @alltheaudios3162 4 роки тому

      TheBlackKnight101 of course. My bad.

    • @sylver546
      @sylver546 4 роки тому +1

      You’re not wrong tho

    • @danik0011
      @danik0011 3 роки тому +1

      So salad have most water %.
      Right?
      WRONG!
      CUCUMBERS ARE 96% WATER

  • @axelvdp1
    @axelvdp1 6 років тому +704

    But steel is heavier than feathers

    • @Blox117
      @Blox117 5 років тому +24

      not under zero-g

    • @benm12310
      @benm12310 5 років тому +75

      1 pound of air is heavier than half a pound of steel

    • @darkdragon2087
      @darkdragon2087 5 років тому +22

      You should have wright BuT stEeL iS heAVieR ThaN FEathEr

    • @lukeives7396
      @lukeives7396 5 років тому +31

      What about the weight of what you did to all those birds...

    • @morgotp5573
      @morgotp5573 5 років тому +1

      @@lukeives7396 comment stealer

  • @QuantumBraced
    @QuantumBraced 6 років тому +207

    The potato paradox is how my 10-year old PC can still play modern games...

    • @AMan-xz7tx
      @AMan-xz7tx 6 років тому +1

      I just spat out my coffee 🤣

    • @screebok
      @screebok 6 років тому

      Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha I get it it's because your computer is a potatoe from Ireland

    • @cartofulfierbinte
      @cartofulfierbinte 6 років тому +1

      maybe you should change your VGA display.

    • @usernametaken017
      @usernametaken017 4 роки тому

      Slavism is bad. #potatoslifesmatter

    • @scottb9997
      @scottb9997 2 роки тому

      How is your 13 year old pc now

  • @DG-ov6ps
    @DG-ov6ps 5 років тому +445

    *but 1+1 is 2 RIGHT? ‘WrOoOnG’*

    • @zabooka
      @zabooka 5 років тому +3

      1 + 1 = 3! #truereasonableness

    • @farenhite4329
      @farenhite4329 5 років тому +1

      2+2=5

    • @deniscelianov7932
      @deniscelianov7932 5 років тому

      I'll prove that 1+1=3
      You thought it's possible huh?

    • @longjohnw86
      @longjohnw86 5 років тому +2

      It is possible..one woman plus one man (have sex and have baby) =3

    • @kharkovluzhin8333
      @kharkovluzhin8333 5 років тому +3

      @@deniscelianov7932
      Let a = b
      That mean a^2=a*b
      That mean that a^2-b^2=a*b-b^2
      That mean we get
      (a-b)*(a+b)=b*(a-b)
      Remove a-b we get:
      a+b = b
      But because a = b
      That mean 2b = b
      => 2=1
      That mean 1+1=3 is right

  • @Turquoise-Official
    @Turquoise-Official 5 років тому +182

    Kevin: We are humans right?
    Me: Rig-
    Kevin: *WRONG*

    • @-wingsofwasp-
      @-wingsofwasp- 4 роки тому

      WHY WOULD YOU SAY RIGHT-- OH HELLO FELLOW HUMAN HA HA
      HA

    • @zejdland
      @zejdland 4 роки тому +1

      @@-wingsofwasp- hellof fellow human Ha Ha HA funny joke
      It is such a meme HA HA
      •_•_ _ _ _•••_ _ _ _

    • @-wingsofwasp-
      @-wingsofwasp- 4 роки тому

      @@zejdland Is that supposed to be morse code?

    • @-wingsofwasp-
      @-wingsofwasp- 4 роки тому

      @@zejdland Well, there aren't any spaces...

    • @polk-e-dot8177
      @polk-e-dot8177 4 роки тому +1

      no we are dancers

  • @ellacasey7303
    @ellacasey7303 5 років тому +169

    *Goes to restaurant*
    Waiter "What would you like to drink"
    Me "Lettuce"

  • @unboiledegg5765
    @unboiledegg5765 6 років тому +855

    “You must hug your potatoes so that they know that you care”- Kevin, from Vsauce2

    • @chrisbrown7862
      @chrisbrown7862 6 років тому

      Unboiled Egg I

    • @slayer4810
      @slayer4810 6 років тому +4

      I have a good habit always reading the comment at the time he says it

    • @LoLorelando
      @LoLorelando 6 років тому +3

      The one that fell off must think he doesn't care :(

    • @WaveOfDestiny
      @WaveOfDestiny 6 років тому +1

      "I'm how to basic"
      Kevin, from vsauce 2

    • @teagueshelton7716
      @teagueshelton7716 6 років тому

      I was the 666th like

  • @milothedinosaur2911
    @milothedinosaur2911 6 років тому +3635

    Jesus can walk on water,
    I can walk on Lettuce,
    Lettuce is 95% water,
    I am 95% Jesus

    • @Kusogacha
      @Kusogacha 6 років тому +810

      Jesus can walk on water
      I can walk on ice
      Ice is 100% water
      I am Jesus

    • @kisdoboz
      @kisdoboz 6 років тому +28

      XCaSurge Gaming Are you serious?!

    • @wurttmapper2200
      @wurttmapper2200 6 років тому +102

      Roses are red
      Violets are blue
      You are affirming the consequent
      And I will do that too
      Apples are 100% red
      But apples aren't roses
      This fallacy makes me blue

    • @wurttmapper2200
      @wurttmapper2200 6 років тому +241

      Jesus turned water into wine
      You can turn water into water
      wine is 85% water
      You are 85% Jesus
      Buddha ate bread
      You eat bread
      bread is 100% bread
      You are 100% Buddha
      Mohammed Ali breathed air
      air is 100% electrons, protons and neutrons
      You can post fallacious arguments in UA-cam comments using your keyboard
      Your keyboard is 100% atoms, neutrons and electrons
      You are Mohammed Ali
      This is not a sentence
      The sentence I wrote above is false
      This is not a paradox
      I like potatoes
      You like potatoes
      You are not a sentence
      You are false
      You are a potato

    • @ppoppo009
      @ppoppo009 6 років тому +44

      Wurtt Mapper beautiful

  • @X-SPONGED
    @X-SPONGED 2 роки тому +35

    Kevin : "You must hug your potatoes to show that you care" [3:26]
    _As a person who has gone to Ireland for vacation twice, I can confirm this is why the potatoes there are so high quality_

  • @wesleyboyer6654
    @wesleyboyer6654 6 років тому +652

    You made Mr. Potato Head stand in the corpses of his friends. He had the thousand yard stare going on.

  • @keymasher08
    @keymasher08 6 років тому +119

    I had to double check it wasn't April 1st half way through this video

    • @graalcloud
      @graalcloud 6 років тому +21

      Me too. This video was so bad

    • @Howuf
      @Howuf 6 років тому +1

      John Redcorn Thought the same thing.

  • @uniteddetinu7750
    @uniteddetinu7750 6 років тому +158

    The sound of your marker scraping against your paper hurts my teeth. I can't explain why, but it does.

    • @russnotgus3803
      @russnotgus3803 6 років тому +12

      I know what you mean lol. Glad I'm not the only one

    • @spoonkey
      @spoonkey 5 років тому +4

      It gives me goosebumps

    • @6ohflip
      @6ohflip 5 років тому

      All of you have a serious mental illness and should probably see a doctor.

    • @EternalWithin
      @EternalWithin 5 років тому +1

      I thought I was weird

    • @Cherryfish386
      @Cherryfish386 5 років тому

      Wow that’s very specific

  • @szczur0192
    @szczur0192 5 років тому +27

    "Excuse me potatoes"
    -My teacher to my class

  • @Glac0
    @Glac0 6 років тому +1200

    You're the only vsauce that actually uploads

    • @vonhousin4179
      @vonhousin4179 6 років тому +57

      not true, micheal uploads on dong still

    • @scruf2002
      @scruf2002 6 років тому +74

      VonHousin is that vsauce. no

    • @vonhousin4179
      @vonhousin4179 6 років тому +50

      vsauce actually has a lot of good content on it as well. you just have to pay to watch it.

    • @WeArePharmers
      @WeArePharmers 6 років тому +73

      it's too bad they went to that format, vsauce used to be one of my favorite channels

    • @coolGhostVIRUS
      @coolGhostVIRUS 6 років тому +24

      Is this VSause? Imo Michaels latest video on DONG is way more informative than this.
      This is like talks 5 minutes about simple mathematical equation.

  • @notlawatnotlimbu7874
    @notlawatnotlimbu7874 6 років тому +84

    2:50when hes circling "wrong" some one needs to make that into a gif!

    • @hairohukosu433
      @hairohukosu433 6 років тому +2

      Vsauce is just meme gold

    • @Bonzane
      @Bonzane 6 років тому +2

      If someone links this please post it here

    • @teubert2
      @teubert2 6 років тому +5

      @ לביא גלזמן I don't think anybody thought he would do it himself XD
      Thanks~!

    • @epicstimulus282
      @epicstimulus282 6 років тому

      Will do

  • @ZakJames
    @ZakJames 6 років тому +245

    This doesn’t feel like a Vsause episode.

    • @dunnokki
      @dunnokki 6 років тому +8

      It is indeed different from the others. Kevin's videos are sometimes goofy and funny, sometimes they give you the goose bumps for making you feel the gravity of this universe (haha). This was definitely a goofy one.

    • @sparkpenguin
      @sparkpenguin 6 років тому +1

      c'mon guys we got Shona, it at least /sounded/ like a vsauce episode lol

    • @paulanderegg5536
      @paulanderegg5536 6 років тому +4

      I feel betrayed...this was just a "trick question" episode. :(

    • @dolantremp
      @dolantremp 6 років тому

      I mean yeah it's a little different from a "traditional" vsauce video but the personality is the same and nevertheless it was still quite an interesting topic and explanation.

    • @Allanbr2012
      @Allanbr2012 6 років тому +1

      It's basic math + misleading information. Leaving it out "overnight" to dry a little is not an appropriate way to increase the concentration of solids by 100%.

  • @marin7615
    @marin7615 4 роки тому +8

    The paradox lays in the way the question is asked, confusing between percentages and quantities. By removing 1 part of water out of 99, the solid goes from 1% to 1,01% and not 2%, while the water goes from 99% to 98,99%. How much water do you need to remove to get the solid become 2%? Way easier to understand.

    • @apreviousseagle836
      @apreviousseagle836 3 роки тому

      Ah hah! thank you!

    • @HostLT
      @HostLT 2 роки тому

      Thank you.
      What he said confused me only...

  • @Grubiantoll
    @Grubiantoll 6 років тому +324

    the real paradox is that, this simple math problem is called a paradox

    • @theatom3936
      @theatom3936 6 років тому +4

      Well that could be explained with a scale...

    • @sunflowertara7047
      @sunflowertara7047 6 років тому +1

      Watch his video and you'll know.

    • @aaronmicalowe
      @aaronmicalowe 6 років тому +3

      Grubiantoll I don't think people got your joke.

    • @chasemarangu
      @chasemarangu 6 років тому +1

      +Aaron Lowe thanks now I get that it was a joke and that you werent joking that it was and I also get the joke itself because I reread the original comment

    • @chasemarangu
      @chasemarangu 6 років тому +4

      +Grubiantoll my definition of paradox is "a question which is unanswerable due not to a lack of information but rather the nature of the question itself"
      Examples of things which are _almost_ paradoxes:
      - This statement is false. (because the paradox is "is the statement true or false?")
      - I always lie. (because same as the one before and also, not always lying is not necessarily never lying)
      - The Fermi Paradox (because really we are just lacking in information)
      - x=1+x what is x? (because x=1+1+1+⋯=∞ using recursive substitution)
      - What does the fox say? (becaause really we are just lacking in information)
      - What other paradoxes are there? (because really we are just lacking in information, JK this one is not even remotely a paradox)

  • @sideswipebl
    @sideswipebl 6 років тому +229

    "You must hug your potatoes, so that they know that you care."
    - Vsauce2, 2018

    • @cooleslaw
      @cooleslaw 6 років тому +9

      "Excuse me potatoes."
      -Vsauce2, 2018

    • @epicstimulus282
      @epicstimulus282 6 років тому

      Lol

    • @tryphonunzouave8384
      @tryphonunzouave8384 6 років тому +1

      lol the exact same comment from one day after this one was liked, not this one, although they are just one below the other, GET REKT

  • @marcysoucy9522
    @marcysoucy9522 6 років тому +247

    *YOU MUST HUG YOUR POTATOES!*

  • @astra00700
    @astra00700 4 роки тому +15

    "What's more water than watermelon?"
    Uh... Water?
    "Lettuce"
    Oh

  • @arya6085
    @arya6085 6 років тому +249

    Not a paradox at all. Similar to most of these paradox videos. Like 1% of these videos are actual paradox videos. The rest are just 5% away from being soup.

    • @HunterHM1489
      @HunterHM1489 6 років тому +4

      Arya Khonsari, you win one internet! 👍

    • @phuturephunk
      @phuturephunk 6 років тому +1

      A soup that you could reconfigure into the Sun if you bring Banach-Tarski into play.

    • @whatno5090
      @whatno5090 6 років тому +3

      This is a real paradox though

    • @leondong5037
      @leondong5037 6 років тому +7

      It really isn't . When a potato drys up it loses 1% of its water the potato consequently loses some of its weight. Why would you take away the 1% of water and add 1% of the potato solids? the water doesn't become a solid it just goes away and the rest of the 99% of the potato would become the new 100% as the 1% of the water that has dried up is no longer part of the potato.

    • @slappomatthew
      @slappomatthew 6 років тому +5

      exactly. entertaining video but the premise is completely wrong. you lose 1% of 99# of water so you are left with 1# of mass still, and 1% less water. or 98.1# total. I have no idea were he came up with the rest of his nonsense.

  • @mr.mcawesome1154
    @mr.mcawesome1154 5 років тому +277

    1% = 1/100
    2%= 1/50
    Makes sense to me bucko

    • @demenetori7976
      @demenetori7976 5 років тому +14

      1% = 1/100
      2% = 1/50 or 2/100
      I really hope you were joking but if not,then oh boy

    • @jamusphillips368
      @jamusphillips368 5 років тому +26

      @@demenetori7976 He's not. 1 pound of potato material remains after dehydration. So you can just ask yourself "1 pound of potato material is 2% of how many total potato pounds?" to answer the question. 1 pound is 2% of 50 pounds since 1/50 equals .02. Although 1/50 is equivalent to 2/100, in this example 2/100 would be for a different potato, since our potato still only has 1 pound of potato material not 2. These potatoes are however similar (as in, similar triangles from geometry class).

    • @hgmercury7279
      @hgmercury7279 5 років тому +3

      @@demenetori7976 you got wooshed on a "joke" but it wasn't a joke (it's fact) but it has "joke" material and yeah you arn't totally wrong (2%= 1/50 or 2/100)
      but he said potato dried not grow more potato stuff so you are kinda wrong you did got your fact right but you didnt got what he ment so i call this woooshed on a non-joke

    • @BurgoYT
      @BurgoYT 5 років тому +2

      Mr. McAwesome 1/50 is literally 1/100 x 2....

    • @KineticManiac
      @KineticManiac 5 років тому +2

      @@demenetori7976 What he said is literally the explanation in a nutshell.

  • @drunkenmuse
    @drunkenmuse 6 років тому +402

    But it _is_ based on a misunderstanding.
    If it was presented as "you have 1 red ball and 99 yellow balls, how many yellow balls would you have to remove for the red ball to be 2 percent of the balls?" most people would not have a problem with this.

    • @MajorLawliet
      @MajorLawliet 6 років тому +10

      But... That's not the point.

    • @alexchief2317
      @alexchief2317 6 років тому +68

      yeah this guy seems to enjoy developing videos in a manner that is difficult to comprehend. Your analogy made it much easier to grasp.

    • @MajorLawliet
      @MajorLawliet 6 років тому +10

      That is STILL not the point, so I am really unsure if people got the point about this being a Paradox.

    • @drunkenmuse
      @drunkenmuse 6 років тому +26

      I haven't said anything about it being or not being a paradox?
      However, the reason for it being one is _misunderstanding_ , although he specifically states in the video that it isn't (7:20 mark).
      While the "problem" has a true answer easy to calculate, the factors are presented in a confusing way which is resulting in a veridical paradox. Ie, it's made to be misunderstood.
      I suspect you misunderstood the point of my original comment, so I'm not sure what point your replies are refering to.

    • @drunkenmuse
      @drunkenmuse 6 років тому +8

      It's the same analogy as the silver potato really, but he is explaining it in a pretty roundabout manner when presenting the solution.

  • @hmmmmm8716
    @hmmmmm8716 3 роки тому +12

    7:03 yo my dude kevin is a damn robot he just picked up the pen prefectly without looking away from the camera

  • @ryanhoffman4079
    @ryanhoffman4079 6 років тому +1355

    Well think about this...
    Cheese has holes
    More cheese=more holes
    More holes=less cheese
    More cheese=less cheese
    🤯 🧀

    • @HunterHM1489
      @HunterHM1489 6 років тому +108

      Perfect analogy for this sorry excuse of a “paradox”

    • @mollowrie5264
      @mollowrie5264 6 років тому +113

      A larger block of cheese still has a greater mass than the smaller block so therefore you don’t get less cheese. The mass is based off actual solid cheese and not the holes.

    • @PrgressiveHouse
      @PrgressiveHouse 6 років тому +7

      Classic

    • @CodeKiller1999
      @CodeKiller1999 6 років тому +20

      The important point (like in the video) is the % of solid, not the total weight.
      So more cheese in mass does not change the percentage of solid in the cheese. You still have the same amount of cheese, if you take the % of the volume.
      So it is a paradox if you choose to use the % instead of the real weight.

    • @ichigo_miruku_qt843
      @ichigo_miruku_qt843 6 років тому

      Ry Gui woah

  • @Tcg8136
    @Tcg8136 6 років тому +85

    Easier solution with easier presentation: "1 lbs in 100 lbs = 1% " --> "1 lbs in ? lbs =2%"

    • @kiantamar
      @kiantamar 6 років тому +11

      He misleadingly made a very simple question and *twisted* it to make it look more complicated.
      That's the *opposite* of what an *educator* is supposed to do!

    • @BrennanKoontz
      @BrennanKoontz 6 років тому +1

      But why pounds? Its amazing how adding pounds helps your brain understand it but others would rather imagine potatos...

    • @ca7surfer
      @ca7surfer 6 років тому

      I honestly have no idea what you are saying with this. I like how he explained it more

    • @SuperCommenterGuy
      @SuperCommenterGuy 6 років тому +5

      Dale Crane it’s the same answer as the video
      1 / 100 = .01 or 1% and 1 / x = .02 or 2%
      x = 50
      he made it very complicated

    • @uncledavid5344
      @uncledavid5344 6 років тому

      Well it wouldn’t be a paradox if he made it simple. Because vsauce doesn’t know what a paradox is.

  • @Ethanerd
    @Ethanerd 6 років тому +69

    "Potatoes Are Delicious!"
    -Colorado Potato Beetles, 1811

  • @benaronson2410
    @benaronson2410 5 років тому +71

    2:29 "probably broke the scale"
    me every day when i stand on my scale

  • @Simte
    @Simte 6 років тому +1750

    The howtobasic paradox.

  • @VexinatorDesigns
    @VexinatorDesigns 6 років тому +622

    The problem is the *98% and 2%* measurements of the potato, after a night has passed, *are percentages of the new potato,* not the original... let me explain:
    If the potato is 100kg and 1% of that weight is solid, then the solid obviously weighs 1kg and the water weighs 99kg.
    Then you take away 1% of the weight, in water, and you are left with 98kg of water, and still 1kg of the solid.
    Thus the potato *does weigh 99kg.*
    The error is in saying the unchanged solid is then 2% of the potato's total weight. If the solid (1kg) was 2% of the potato, then yes, it would weigh 50kg in total. *But you wouldn't presume this is the case, the way he describes it.* 1kg, after the removal of some of the water actually accounts for 1/99 or ~1.0101%.
    Hopefully this clears it up for some people :)
    And yes, I know I used kg, but it doesn't make a difference as we are discussing percentages and unspecified measurements, also I'm not sure what the abbreviation for pounds is, or really how they work at all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    • @enverko
      @enverko 6 років тому +8

      VexinatorDesigns Kevin used it in the video, it's : "lb"

    • @hgc839
      @hgc839 6 років тому +15

      VexinatorDesigns I highly appreciate the clarification of to which I couldn’t understand prior to this comment and I thank thee.
      Note;
      Especially that part where you said that 2% of the unchanged solid is still 1kg
      Another Note:
      Pounds is Lbs or lbs

    • @jamesplays8113
      @jamesplays8113 6 років тому +10

      VexinatorDesigns thanks for commenting this so i didnt have to. Also pounds is abreviated as
      lb or lbs
      That is el be or el be ess

    • @nicat6153
      @nicat6153 6 років тому +48

      Thanks, now it makes sense. So this was more of a trick question than a paradox :\

    • @VexinatorDesigns
      @VexinatorDesigns 6 років тому +6

      Nicat Memmedov yeah, definately agree

  • @5avan10
    @5avan10 6 років тому +42

    The opposite of this is telling people that one drink a day doubles your risk of throat cancer. Okay, so instead of the risk being like 1 in 1,000 it's closer to 2 in 1,000. That's an increase of only 0.1% of the sample size, but it's still a 100% increase in throat cancer risk. (Not the actual risk assessment figures; just numbers used as a hypothetical example)

    • @b1aflatoxin
      @b1aflatoxin 6 років тому +5

      Oh man! What u wrote clicked with me instantly!
      I thought I was going crazy while watching this, and worse yet, feeling disillusioned with it all.
      So thank you. :)

    • @DeathBringer769
      @DeathBringer769 6 років тому +3

      Good point.

    • @chillsahoy2640
      @chillsahoy2640 6 років тому +4

      Which is why one should always ask "Is this relative risk?" when newspaper headlines make the shocking claim that X increases your risk of cancer (or dementia, or heart disease, or some other harm) by 80%.

    • @Layk35
      @Layk35 6 років тому +4

      Which is why the news uses this all the time to shock people.

    • @Layk35
      @Layk35 6 років тому

      Oh dang, gotta check the replies before I comment. Good thing I'm not the only one tired of this

  • @Psychonaut165
    @Psychonaut165 2 роки тому +5

    This was like the least paradoxical paradox I’ve ever encountered

  • @21guitarworld
    @21guitarworld 6 років тому +37

    I love it how you can watch each vsauce channel goes insane. It's quite beautiful

  • @georgequilitz8530
    @georgequilitz8530 6 років тому +18

    Person A: Hey, want some salad?
    Person B: ...That's a water bottle.
    Person A: Eh, close enough.

  • @digitalchrome
    @digitalchrome 6 років тому +140

    I think he is slowly turning crazy. (Which is a good thing)

  • @londonerdanny
    @londonerdanny 2 роки тому +32

    I feel like he's explaining two separate concepts.
    First is :- What would be left after 1% evaporates? Removing 1% of 100 lb which would leave almost 99 lb. [Depending if it were by weight or by volume]
    Second is:- Doubling the solid content from 1% to 2% which would equate to removing 50% of the water content.
    Those are two separate things.

    • @itismethatguy
      @itismethatguy 2 роки тому +4

      The solid content did not double. The water content just halved

    • @uweschroeder
      @uweschroeder 2 роки тому +9

      @@itismethatguy No, the water content didn't half nor did the solid content double. The assumption that losing 1% of water results in 2% of the total being solids is simply wrong.

    • @yongmrchen
      @yongmrchen Рік тому +2

      @@uweschroeder This isn’t an assumption at all. Losing weight from 99% of water for 100 lb to 98% of water entails that the total weight on which the 98% water is obtained must be decreased to 50 lb, namely, solid accounts for 2% of weight, still 1 lb, and water must be 49 lb now.

    • @uweschroeder
      @uweschroeder Рік тому +3

      @@yongmrchen So assume you weigh 100kg, 1% of which are solids. So it's 99kg of water and 1 kg of solids. Now you take a laxative and expel 1% of the water, that is about 990grams of water. That does not mean that the solids are suddenly 1.9kg, because you don't weigh 100kg anymore.
      So doing the "it's suddenly 2% solids" is nothing but a percentage calculation that has no base in reality, because the new 100% of which to base your solids content is less than the 100kg. By the end of the day, what you do is increase the solids concentration, so you mess with the mixture but one percent of 99% is still 0.99% and not 50%
      PS: What you assume is that the ratio of solids to water remains constant, but that isn't the case or dehydration wouldn't work.

    • @yongmrchen
      @yongmrchen Рік тому

      @uweschroeder Actually, I think you totally misunderstood what the key information in the so-called paradox but not-a-paradox-at-all case. The decrease in the potato weight that is measured, and entirely caused, by the decresae of water from the original 99% of total weight to the current 98% of total weight (this can only happen when you end up having 49 lb water and 1 lb solid, and solid remains unchanged) is NOT the same as the water that decreases from 99% of the water to the 98% of the water. If the question itself may not be so clear, the explanation in the video is crystal clear.

  • @HenryFlores4
    @HenryFlores4 6 років тому +117

    Haven't watched any vSauce content in years. Today I was curious and watched this video. Yep, he has gone insane...

    • @vnleao
      @vnleao 6 років тому +5

      Don’t worry, it’s just small potatoes

    • @-mae-5524
      @-mae-5524 6 років тому +2

      Henry Flores yes

    • @J1428753
      @J1428753 6 років тому +3

      ...so did the video title "Should You Eat Yourself?" not tip you off?

    • @HenryFlores4
      @HenryFlores4 6 років тому +2

      J1428753 Like I said, haven't watched any vSauce (1,2 or 3) content of any kind in years. Last I remember Kevin was with a beanie.

  • @shatteredgod69
    @shatteredgod69 6 років тому +181

    "Too much water"
    -IGN

    • @jochemfliervoet1714
      @jochemfliervoet1714 6 років тому +4

      Im so glad i get this

    • @ToneyCrimson
      @ToneyCrimson 6 років тому +1

      Mudkip?

    • @tonyhoang987
      @tonyhoang987 6 років тому +6

      7.8/10

    • @VOYAGEUR-YT
      @VOYAGEUR-YT 6 років тому +1

      Jochem Fliervoet
      Ya it's from their review of Battletoads for the Wii

    • @JadeMythriil
      @JadeMythriil 6 років тому

      RealGamerManz And more recently their review on Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire remakes.

  • @thexsoar
    @thexsoar 6 років тому +400

    Seems less a paradox and more of a question poorly asked.

    • @erikjaldell9568
      @erikjaldell9568 6 років тому +14

      Thexsoar the Bearded rather a question poorly answered

    • @StefanTravis
      @StefanTravis 6 років тому +30

      It's a veridical paradox - a surprising but true answer. A poorly asked question is a paradox of vagueness, which would be a type of falsidical paradox.

    • @besitzerer
      @besitzerer 6 років тому +8

      Yes... If you say "1% OF the water evaporates over night" than you don't have the shown outcome.... So from 100 water molecules 99 would be left. It's a question of what you look at....

    • @bobveltman
      @bobveltman 6 років тому +1

      true.

    • @akalaiderxd9686
      @akalaiderxd9686 6 років тому +1

      No, it's just your brain taking the fast way. Every body does it if the answer seem simple.

  • @versatilejams
    @versatilejams 4 роки тому +1

    This was more of a trick question than a paradox. If it had been proposed or asked differently, many would have got it instantly. I was unnecessarily trying to figure out how this was a paradox than doing a basic math problem.

    • @MrBaumGeo
      @MrBaumGeo 4 роки тому

      Its a paradox look it up

  • @AlrycaAeveaHexendias
    @AlrycaAeveaHexendias 6 років тому +186

    2% is not 1% higher than 1%
    but 100% higher.
    This means 1% is not 1% less than 2%
    but 50% less.
    Edit: changed 200% to 100%, sorry about that.

    • @masteroba4388
      @masteroba4388 6 років тому +5

      no lt's 100% higher then 1%. cuz (1% is 100% of 1%) and (2% is 200% of 1%) so (200%-100% = 100%.)

    • @ChristianMartinez-it6sj
      @ChristianMartinez-it6sj 6 років тому

      John Apawan I hope you know that 200% is the same thing as 100%

    • @youtubehandlesareridiculous
      @youtubehandlesareridiculous 6 років тому +17

      2% is 200% of 1%. But it is 100% greater than 1%.

    • @zapador
      @zapador 6 років тому +9

      Truth. This guy has no clue how to do math. I don't understand how there's 29K upvotes and 4K downvotes... Should clearly be the other way around as this is about as flawed as it can get. If he said that 1% to 2% is a change of 1 percentage point he would be right, but he doesn't say that.
      How does the solids suddenly change from 1% to 2%? No explanation for that is given o.O
      Clearly if 99% (99 kg) is water and 1% (1 kg) is solids then if 1% of the water evaporates that leaves 99 - (99 * 0.01) = 98.01 kg water and the same 1 kg solids as before, a total of 99.01 kg is left after one night.
      So the composition is now 1 / 99.01 = 1.0099% solids and 98.01 / 99.01 = 98.9900% water (both results rounded to 4 decimals).

    • @ryanmclaughlin9041
      @ryanmclaughlin9041 6 років тому +2

      John Apawan I'm gonna just pretend I understood that

  • @catsoften
    @catsoften 6 років тому +85

    this feels like more of a trick question than a paradox

    • @futurestoryteller
      @futurestoryteller 6 років тому +4

      Paradox:
      "A statement that is *_seemingly_* contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true"

    • @futurestoryteller
      @futurestoryteller 6 років тому +2

      Now I have to question your reading comprehension skills.

    • @futurestoryteller
      @futurestoryteller 6 років тому

      Ironically - if you think so... you're ignorant.

    • @DevinDTV
      @DevinDTV 6 років тому +2

      It's not a paradox because the answer to the question is immediately apparent and completely intuitive. The dry mass doubled in proportion so the total mass must have dropped in half. If you didn't figure it out in under a second you're probably brain damaged.

    • @futurestoryteller
      @futurestoryteller 6 років тому +2

      People like you are intellectual clowns.

  • @maa6471
    @maa6471 6 років тому +16

    love the way he breaks into laughter by himself like a mad scientist

  • @sumdude3445
    @sumdude3445 4 роки тому +8

    I’m a couch potato, eating potato chips, while watching this on a potato phone, on a potato farm.

  • @Extrafun-z9z
    @Extrafun-z9z 6 років тому +17

    If it's looked at step by step percentage reduction, it is easy to see why it is not a paradox.
    99 + 1 = 100 (99% water)
    98 + 1 = 99 (98/99 = 98.98% water)
    97 + 1 = 98 (97/98 = 98.87% water)
    .
    .
    50 + 1 = 51 (50/51 = 98.03% water)
    49 + 1 = 50 (49/50 = 98% water)

    • @Marispider
      @Marispider 6 років тому +3

      He literally said in the video that not all paradoxes have no clear answer. Feel free to search up the definitions of paradox.
      Since many see the progression of 1 to 2 as 1+1 rather than 1*2, many get a wrong answer at first, therefore it is a paradox. It's _kind_ of like, "the more you cut at a net, the fewer holes there will be" or, "the more you remove from a hole, the larger it is." It's completely logical, but it may seem illogical at first.

  • @Stephenmusic92
    @Stephenmusic92 6 років тому +149

    Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew.

    • @IvarHuisman
      @IvarHuisman 6 років тому +10

      Whats taters eh?

    • @AllenGrimm1145
      @AllenGrimm1145 6 років тому +2

      It sounds like your potatoes need a hug.

    • @graemepatterson
      @graemepatterson 6 років тому

      bird's eye potato waaaaaffles

    • @JavierFernandez01
      @JavierFernandez01 6 років тому

      Peace & Love slice super thin and make a nice caserol too. Chives. Cheese. Boom.

    • @josephweaver8545
      @josephweaver8545 6 років тому +1

      Make vodka out of them

  • @ArticBlueFox96
    @ArticBlueFox96 6 років тому +67

    This is much easier if you just represent things as fractions instead of in percents.
    1% is 1 out 100.
    2% is 1 out of 50.
    100 - 50 = 50

    • @yaaniz1337
      @yaaniz1337 6 років тому +3

      Wait... so 1% of the water = 50% of the total weight of the potato. How can 1% of anything equal 50% of the same thing. *mind explodes*

    • @sadplane6814
      @sadplane6814 6 років тому

      Wrong, % = percent = per 100
      so 2% isnt 1 out of 50
      Umm.. wait..
      Uh it kinda is i guess..

  • @xenongd6974
    @xenongd6974 3 роки тому +8

    I like how's he's trying to sound so serious while Talkin about potatoes

  • @tansan143
    @tansan143 6 років тому +547

    Hey kevin! A simple way to explain it is that. The 1% of solid potato is equal to 1lbs.
    Since the weight of the solid doesn’t change, only its proportion to its weight in which it becomes 2%.
    So 1lbs / 2% = 50lbs
    Therefore 50lbs less 1lbs of solid is equal to 49 which apparently the weight of the water.
    Flies away..

    • @thegriefer123456
      @thegriefer123456 6 років тому +1

      tansan143 I

    • @Tethloach1
      @Tethloach1 6 років тому +44

      so basically he has to trick people into making himself look smart.

    • @KingofGermanic
      @KingofGermanic 6 років тому +25

      @Tethlocah1 basically. It's like when people call water Di-hydrogen Monoxide. You make something simple appear over complicated in order to be validated by society.

    • @matthewloftus7389
      @matthewloftus7389 6 років тому

      tansan143 ya well said, I just went algebra on it and it was so easy to understand.

    • @TheAnantaSesa
      @TheAnantaSesa 6 років тому +9

      Excellent. And 50lbs of water 6.25gal) wont be evaporating overnight!

  • @militantpacifist4087
    @militantpacifist4087 6 років тому +689

    4:27 7.8/10-IGN

  • @ericreeves4
    @ericreeves4 6 років тому +64

    Jesus, I think everyone one at Vsauce is losing their damn minds.

    • @ericreeves4
      @ericreeves4 6 років тому +11

      each video, they act crazier and crazier, but still with the spit facts.

    • @AngryKittens
      @AngryKittens 6 років тому +7

      Stopped watching any VSauce video since they've slowly spiraled into non sequitur madness. The old videos were weird, but they made sense. These on the other hand...

    • @SSilivone
      @SSilivone 6 років тому +5

      After gaining a certain amount of insight, you begin sinking into madness.

    • @christianmorales8978
      @christianmorales8978 6 років тому +2

      How does this not make sense it is so simple. Plus just because they made one video that isn't that wierd compared to others doesn't mean that they just quit making interesting videos.

    • @BlueRock704
      @BlueRock704 6 років тому

      Agreed, tis the holy grail

  • @bobbiesterling574
    @bobbiesterling574 5 років тому +22

    *some seemingly rhetorical question* kevin: WRONG!

  • @ourochroma
    @ourochroma 6 років тому +55

    Who would win?
    100 Potatoes
    or
    One Smart Boi

  • @Skelyvelocirap
    @Skelyvelocirap 6 років тому +83

    when you find out that salad is 95% soup

    • @joshuakerger2897
      @joshuakerger2897 5 років тому

      Skelyvelocirap which would mean that soup is how much % water?
      Soup is a drink.

    • @mynameisworld
      @mynameisworld 4 роки тому

      Since when is soup 100% water?

    • @numbdigger9552
      @numbdigger9552 3 роки тому

      @@mynameisworld in my school it is

  • @chrisforreal420
    @chrisforreal420 6 років тому +86

    But what's more watery than lettuce... WATEr it is about %100 water

    • @alexchief2317
      @alexchief2317 6 років тому +14

      TheDeepDebunk damn ur right water is about 100% water. Or... is it? (Vsauce theme)

    • @sickcatboy7745
      @sickcatboy7745 6 років тому +2

      WRONG

    • @Niiue
      @Niiue 6 років тому +1

      Rellek Llepham WATER IS MADE FROM OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN....
      but what is hydrogen?

    • @sickcatboy7745
      @sickcatboy7745 6 років тому +1

      Actually I mean that usually water contains other matter if it is not distilled)

    • @lalleahrahre616
      @lalleahrahre616 6 років тому

      About bot exactly rellek...so u r WRONG

  • @cosmicpotato3849
    @cosmicpotato3849 5 років тому +39

    Someone put that in a T-Shirt
    Salads are 5% away from being soup

    • @NStripleseven
      @NStripleseven 4 роки тому

      Cosmic Potato YES! Someone please do that!

    • @ChronicSkater
      @ChronicSkater 4 роки тому +1

      @@elliotthill7008 great idea front logo Right? Back of tee WRONG!

    • @mynameisworld
      @mynameisworld 4 роки тому

      Since when is soup 100% water?

    • @maahinifuria7857
      @maahinifuria7857 2 роки тому

      this should be kevin’s merchandise

  • @benc176
    @benc176 6 років тому +93

    Brain.exe has stopped working

    • @AMan-xz7tx
      @AMan-xz7tx 6 років тому +1

      Your computer is a godamn potato, thats the solution to your application crash issue... I'll see myself out now.

    • @terrrrrrrrrrrrrrry
      @terrrrrrrrrrrrrrry 6 років тому

      I've got bad news for ya, unless you're

  • @ShmazProducts
    @ShmazProducts 6 років тому +98

    This is not a paradox... It's just math.

    • @speedy01247
      @speedy01247 6 років тому +3

      the paradox is not in the math, but in the way people get it wrong.

    • @thecommenter9726
      @thecommenter9726 6 років тому +3

      speedy01247 People only get it wrong because it's not realistic

    • @Ali107
      @Ali107 6 років тому +4

      Quick mafs!

    • @havardmj
      @havardmj 6 років тому

      people getting it wrong doesn't make it a paradox

  • @dillonaumiller
    @dillonaumiller 6 років тому +249

    Poorly stated problems are not paradoxes.

    • @MegaCuber123
      @MegaCuber123 6 років тому +13

      Not poorly stated, just counterintuitive.

    • @Ethereal1610
      @Ethereal1610 6 років тому +18

      It's a veridical paradox - a surprising but true answer. A poorly asked question is a paradox of vagueness, which would be a type of falsidical paradox.

    • @Eclipsed_Archon
      @Eclipsed_Archon 6 років тому +7

      A veridical paradox isn't a paradox, that's a misnomer. This question isn't a paradox, simple as that.

    • @Eclipsed_Archon
      @Eclipsed_Archon 6 років тому +3

      and in case of debate: Paradox, noun "a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true."
      A paradox must be self-contradictory, even if only apparently so, but the logic used to support this supposed "paradox" is flawed, not well founded nor logically acceptable, therefore, this is in fact not a paradox.

    • @raymondhoovers5460
      @raymondhoovers5460 6 років тому +1

      EclipsedArchon "Paradox, noun " a SEEMINGLY absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition [...]"
      A paradox MUST be self-contradictory [...]". Nice logic you got there.

  • @david_ga8490
    @david_ga8490 5 років тому +14

    0:58
    That music =
    *50% Stranger Things Intro + 50% Electrodynamix*

  • @noobguitarguy
    @noobguitarguy 6 років тому +60

    im disturbed that you dont round up that 98%

    • @ChristianMartinez-it6sj
      @ChristianMartinez-it6sj 6 років тому +2

      DMPhysics Right?! But i think it was because we were using physical objects and not just numbers. When it comes to real objects, rounding down to the nearest whole number makes more sense. You can't bring 9 and a half cars to the carmeet.

    • @noobguitarguy
      @noobguitarguy 6 років тому +1

      Christian Martinez ah yes you’re completely right . I wasn’t even thinking !

    • @Iamonepercent
      @Iamonepercent 6 років тому +1

      +Christian Martinez yes you can, it is called a "smart" car or a fiat 500

    • @garystinten9339
      @garystinten9339 6 років тому

      Iamonepercent wrong.. because a fiat 500 or a smart car are considered cars and no known constant is labelled to a cars value (ie, length width height and weight)..

    • @noobguitarguy
      @noobguitarguy 6 років тому

      Gary Stinten I appreciate that people are taking this very seriously .

  • @Someone-cr8cj
    @Someone-cr8cj 6 років тому +583

    You know what has a higher concentration of water?
    Water

  • @CamaroRick
    @CamaroRick 6 років тому +355

    I film with a potato

  • @lavihayoun05
    @lavihayoun05 Рік тому +1

    The way this is phrased makes you think 1% of the water evaporated, and not the 1% switching sides.

  • @shuriken188
    @shuriken188 6 років тому +57

    I think the way you worded it was unclear.
    You said pretty much "what if it loses 1% of its water?"
    1% of its 99 grams of water is roughly 1 gram of water.
    What I think would have been more accurate is: "what if its ratio of water to solid material went down by 1%?"
    Anyway, pretty cool paradox.

    • @duramax78
      @duramax78 6 років тому +11

      This is exactly why it made no sense the way he said it, thank you.

    • @leilazacharias9730
      @leilazacharias9730 6 років тому

      who said it was 99 grams of water in the first place? it was 99% water and 1% solid but the 1% solid might weigh way less than 1 gram and therefore 99% water could weigh 99.5 grams for example

    • @shuriken188
      @shuriken188 6 років тому

      I believe he was saying that the potato was 100 grams and 1% of that weight was solid matter

    • @leilazacharias9730
      @leilazacharias9730 6 років тому +2

      J. Villeneuve please just completely disregard my comment, i don‘t know what type of extrinsic logic i made use of, must have been on drugs but my brain is back now

    • @blazingfire7517
      @blazingfire7517 6 років тому

      You just don't understand the word "percent"?

  • @Jack-zi3hq
    @Jack-zi3hq 6 років тому +26

    To turn vegetables to people, you need an old toy.
    To turn people to vegetables, you need a high impact collision.

    • @MurriciTerceiro
      @MurriciTerceiro 6 років тому +1

      Jack Young pesadãããão!!!

    • @User-jr7vf
      @User-jr7vf 6 років тому

      To turn toys into vegetables you need a toy story; to turn people into vegetables you need a human story

    • @johnwalthall4937
      @johnwalthall4937 6 років тому +2

      To vegetables people to toy turn, you old an need.
      To toy turn people to vegetables, you collision a need.

    • @Meinstein
      @Meinstein 6 років тому

      Referring to his Mr. Potato Head of course. Clever.

  • @TasTheWatcher
    @TasTheWatcher 6 років тому +105

    99 lb water + 1 lb solid = 100 lb potato
    99% + 1 % = 100%
    Assume solid lb is constant
    Percentage equation: (solid lb / potato lb) * 100 = % solid
    Initial conditions: (1 lb / 100 lb) * 100 = 1 %
    New condition: (1 lb / ? lb) * 100 = 2 %
    Rearranging:
    1 lb / ? lb = 2 % / 100
    ? lb / 1 lb = 100 / 2 %
    = 50
    49 lb water + 1 lb solid = 50 lb potato
    Or, 1 is 1 % of 100, and 1 is 2 % of 50.
    Not really a paradox. It's just people assuming an answer instead of doing the maths.

    • @CiuccioeCorraz
      @CiuccioeCorraz 6 років тому +11

      You can argue the same thing for every mathematical paradox.
      I mean, it's called "paradox" if the right answer doesn't feel quite right until further investigation. Not wrong to call this paradox.

    • @avg.player
      @avg.player 6 років тому +6

      It's like 3 seconds of calculating. Not really counterintuitive either

    • @TasTheWatcher
      @TasTheWatcher 6 років тому +4

      The problem with using that definition is that instead of a pardox *being* an *actual* contradiction in logic, a paradox can just be anything that doesn't *seem* to, or anything a person *feels* doesn't make sense, regardless of the logical soundness or whether there *are* any contradictions in the proposed paradox.
      It therefore becomes subjective based on who's deciding whether there is or isn't a paradox, and much less specific, and (I think) less useful as a word.
      A person can make the assumption that heavy objects fall faster than light objects, and can *call* it a paradox all they like when their "logic" doesn't match up with reality, but there is no contradiction; it's just that person being wrong and not knowing basic things.
      If we use the more objective definition, I am not wrong in saying that the potato paradox isn't a paradox because there's no contradiction.
      And if we use the subjective definition, I'm still not wrong in saying it's not a paradox because it *seems* to me to make sense, and therefore isn't a paradox *to me* .
      Or are we defining paradoxes based solely on what the majority think, which is often wrong, rather on any actual logic?

    • @christianmorales8978
      @christianmorales8978 6 років тому +3

      He explained in the video that it is a different type of paradox. D I F F E R E N T T Y P E O F P A R A D O X.

    • @blargblarg5657
      @blargblarg5657 6 років тому +3

      David McGhee no, it is them changing what they are talking about half way through the question. It was CLEARLY started 1% of the water evaporated. He then increased the solid to liquid RATIO in a way that would not happen in reality. He is correct that the weight of the solid does not change but that does not mean it magically becomes 2% but would take up a proportional percentage compared to the water content. The question is ridiculous plain and simple.

  • @Foxxey
    @Foxxey 4 роки тому +6

    2:54 it's so unsatisfying that he didn't say "wrong"

  • @plxton
    @plxton 6 років тому +15

    I have no idea what I just watched but I feel the pain of those potatoes, they just wanna be cut, mashed, fried, layered turned into clocks... anything... potatoes are magical and their potential is being wasted

  • @jdanielortega
    @jdanielortega 6 років тому +341

    Good Guys Eric/Kevin, could've added 22 seconds to the video to get 3x revenue, but chose to keep the video concise.

    • @Teoga2
      @Teoga2 6 років тому +2

      ...

    • @ammo1317
      @ammo1317 6 років тому +8

      doesnt actually work that way, is just a myth

    • @diederik6710
      @diederik6710 6 років тому +24

      ammo1317 if a video is longer than 10 minutes you can add mid-video advertisements

    • @jimothyj2638
      @jimothyj2638 6 років тому +1

      Good dudes inde

    • @eVill420
      @eVill420 6 років тому +2

      cuz they are getting payed a stable amount

  • @fonziii0073
    @fonziii0073 6 років тому +297

    I need to smoke weed with this guy

  • @finallylegal2125
    @finallylegal2125 8 місяців тому +1

    This “paradox” was one of the heuristics taught in grade 6 math class. Not really that confusing once you finish elementary school

  • @Valandar2
    @Valandar2 6 років тому +38

    Wait... I thought the 50 lb answer was the obvious one, and was wondering where the paradox was... The water is what goes away, so the solid is what remains. The solid percentage doubles, so the mass cuts in half.

    • @ANunes06
      @ANunes06 6 років тому +7

      Yep. Not sure what I was supposed to get out of this.
      And since I didn't see it yet, solving this in a purely algebraic way:
      concentration = mass of concentrate/total mass.
      98% water concentration = [mass of water]/([mass of water + mass of solids])
      .98=X/(X+1)
      .98X + .98 = X
      .98 = .02X
      98 = 2X
      49 = X
      Total mass = 49 lbs water + 1 lb solid = 50 lbs.
      Basically anyone over the age of 16 should not find this paradoxical in the least...

    • @travisvermaak
      @travisvermaak 6 років тому

      You're not alone there man. Was waiting for a kicker, but nope.

    • @brandaustin
      @brandaustin 6 років тому

      Yeah its basically how do fractions work the video....

    • @gualo21
      @gualo21 6 років тому +4

      Valandar2 r/Imverysmart

    • @ML-iw9zg
      @ML-iw9zg 6 років тому

      Sorry, I was born before this kind of math(s) was invented. Our dinosaurs never had a chance to dry out, we just tore them up and ate 'em straight away!

  • @plasmaballin
    @plasmaballin 6 років тому +526

    This is only a paradox if you're bad at math.

    • @dpsingh_287
      @dpsingh_287 6 років тому +47

      And by *bad* you mean *really really really really really bad* right ?

    • @soos3685
      @soos3685 6 років тому +43

      Agreed. First VSauce video I've disliked

    • @adamlea6339
      @adamlea6339 6 років тому +54

      It's not really a paradox, it is more a mind trick where the instinctive response by the brain is wrong, because the brain prefers to take instinctive short cuts than expend energy working things out properly. To over-ride this instinctive reaction, it helps to understand what a percentage actually means, once you realise it is a fraction, then you can think how do you double or halve a fraction by operating on the numerator or denominator, then you get to the logical answer.

    • @plasmaballin
      @plasmaballin 6 років тому +17

      Adam Lea I would agree. It's not a paradox because it's not counterintuitive. Once you do the math, the result isn't at all confusing or even surprising. However, our heuristics cause us to think of thd wrong answer right away before doing the math.

    • @Trias805
      @Trias805 6 років тому +7

      The word "paradox" itself implies that you're not using math, but common sense or intuition. And by that it's a paradox. Or at least a surprising and counter-intuitive answer.

  • @hundefuttercrepperlphd3180
    @hundefuttercrepperlphd3180 6 років тому +135

    This is explained so complicated
    Just say this problem comes because the 1% stayes the same.
    So if out of 100 the 1% solid is 1 gramm, it stayes the same.
    If the water reduces to 98%, the solid is the rest 2%. If 2% is 1 gramm, you just have to multypli it with 50 (2%--> 100%) so 50 grams.
    And done

    • @noname-sg6qx
      @noname-sg6qx 6 років тому

      HundefutterCrepperlpHD brilliant

    • @chaitanyavyas1799
      @chaitanyavyas1799 6 років тому +6

      Thank you so much for the simple explanation.

    • @darrellmightaswell933
      @darrellmightaswell933 6 років тому

      HundefutterCrepperlpHD Except when the water reduces, it reduces to 98.89898989 and the solid is the other 1.01010101.

    • @wilsonnovero4457
      @wilsonnovero4457 6 років тому +10

      But in order to get that so called "simple" explenation
      Yoy would have had to already know the answer,
      (50lbs) in wich the people who came up with the paradox did not....at the least....

    • @farlo753
      @farlo753 6 років тому +5

      Another way would be with a rule of three:
      If 2% ---> 1 gr
      98% ---> (98x1)/2= 49 gr
      Which makes 100% = 50 gr

  • @limediamond4595
    @limediamond4595 5 років тому +9

    So am I like 40% away from being soup?

  • @TheGamingKiwi
    @TheGamingKiwi 6 років тому +132

    Did you really just spend 10 minutes on a simple mathematics problem? There's some potential here for a good video, like the talk about how humans perceive quantities, but you leaned way too heavily on a simple phenomenon, that should have been a small example of the nature of ratios.

    • @simao135789
      @simao135789 6 років тому +10

      Apparently 50% of the people on the comment section still don't understand it so maybe he should've spent longer on it, eh?

    • @JayMayKnow
      @JayMayKnow 6 років тому +3

      Thanks, I thought I was missing the paradox. Turns out the paradox is that people should be able to work out %, but many of them can't.

    • @ryans9602
      @ryans9602 6 років тому +4

      It's basic maths. 2% -1% : basically half of the total amount. Or each potato losing 0.5 of their mass would still equal 50. I love vsauce but I agree that this video was poorly explained.

    • @moonbasebop3699
      @moonbasebop3699 6 років тому +2

      Stenky, you are actually a troglodyte. Crawl back to your cave before you embarrass yourself.

    • @stenky02
      @stenky02 6 років тому +2

      Captain Munch lol watched it again... If we loose 1% of water (which is also 1% of weight) we would have 99lbs but we wouldn't have 98% water and 2% solid :P we would have 98,98 water and 1,020408... Solid... So the part about the mass was right, the ratio was wrong :P? Btw thanks for explaining it to me instead of being like every other *jerk* on this -amazing- platform where we have -great- community and -friendly- people!

  • @kh2b573
    @kh2b573 6 років тому +5

    4:28 "lets just remove another water"

  • @theoriginalG99
    @theoriginalG99 6 років тому +27

    To potato or to not potato; that is the question

    • @anonymoussean8457
      @anonymoussean8457 5 років тому

      To potato or to not potato; that is the question

    • @parka0m485
      @parka0m485 5 років тому

      To potato or to not potato; that is the question

    • @sila18
      @sila18 5 років тому

      To potato or to not potato; that is the question

    • @_12k70
      @_12k70 5 років тому

      WRONG

  • @mytech6779
    @mytech6779 2 роки тому +1

    Would have been so much easier to demonstrate if you just swap a second red potato for a silver then divide the pile. Doesn't even seem like a paradox at that point.

  • @RaivoltG
    @RaivoltG 4 роки тому +8

    Definitely one of the funniest videos! I laughed more than I learned. I still don't understand this damn potato paradox!

  • @avihaimel
    @avihaimel 6 років тому +54

    So .. not a paradox, Just a 5th grade math question about percentages

    • @speedy01247
      @speedy01247 6 років тому

      I prefer treating it like a fraction as 1/100 means 100lbs where as 1/50 means 50lbs 1/50=98% so treating it as a fraction is far superior then treating it like a percentage.
      Also saw someone who focuses on the solid mass and figures the weight based on how much one would have to multiple it to reach 100% so 2% means multiplying by 50 meaning it weighs 50lbs.

    • @ABaumstumpf
      @ABaumstumpf 6 років тому

      speedy01247 *"I prefer treating it like a fraction.... so treating it as a fraction is far superior then treating it like a percentage. "*
      Go back to school - percentage IS a fraction.

    • @Rubysh88
      @Rubysh88 6 років тому

      they are still different... its much easier to visualize and do math with lets say 2/3 than it is 66.6666........67%

  • @larkito3279
    @larkito3279 5 років тому +7

    “the beetles were right”
    that was *very* ominous

  • @klamsy7249
    @klamsy7249 Рік тому +1

    This doesn't feel like a paradox, just a common sense

  • @seifhesham553
    @seifhesham553 6 років тому +5

    1. better understanding how the mind works.
    2. a new kind of paradox.
    3. a very good yet subtle sense of humor skill.
    4. sudden realization about simple , everyday things that you use every single day , like soup salad.
    5. history facts about the US.
    6. new species of insect i never heard about.
    7. relative math concept that is for some people complicated yet amazingly easy to understand by everyone with a simple demonstration.
    8. nutrition facts about food.
    All thanks to a goddamn potato. Education Systems , learn from the master.

    • @dementare
      @dementare 6 років тому +2

      not a paradox at all... just basic math.

    • @kingsly2275
      @kingsly2275 6 років тому

      dementare so say we scratch that paradox there’s still 7 things to be learned

  • @BhanuPChauhan
    @BhanuPChauhan 6 років тому +16

    He has a perfect handwriting for being a doctor.

  • @AirElegant
    @AirElegant 6 років тому +258

    I heard potato is healthy when it's boiled and unheathy when it's fried 🙂

    • @-Big_Big
      @-Big_Big 6 років тому +243

      thats just anti french fries propaganda.

    • @leafy_cynical6732
      @leafy_cynical6732 6 років тому +92

      Of course it is unhealthy when you fry because frying is dunking it in oil as oppose to water

    • @sandreid87
      @sandreid87 6 років тому +49

      Unhealthy when fired? Yes. Healthy just because its boiled? Not really. You can eat too much potato easily. You can go with sweet potatos as a healthier alternative.

    • @Aereto
      @Aereto 6 років тому

      Well, we have kettle-cooked.

    • @thecapacitor1395
      @thecapacitor1395 6 років тому +4

      Scotland probably isn't for you then...

  • @thealientree3821
    @thealientree3821 5 років тому +1

    So if the potato’s 97% water, 3% potato, it’ll weigh 25 pounds.