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Can we settle this: how many holes does a straw have? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

264 comments fedilink hide all child comments

At work we somehow landed on the topic of how many holes a human has, which then evolved into a heated discussion on the classic question of how many holes does a straw have.

I think it's two, but some people are convinced that it's one, which I just don't understand. What are your thoughts?

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[–] [email protected] 49 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Mathematically It's one. Think of a disk, like a CD, does it have one hole or two? One, right? Now imagine you can make it thicker, I.e. increase the height, and then reduce the outer radius... Making it progressively more straw-like. At what point does it stop having 1 hole and begin to have 2?

Topologically they're the same shape.

I'm sure Matt Parker has a video on this topic in YouTube. Here

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

The specific field is topology fyi

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If I dig a hole, how many holes is it?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

Holes in the hole? 0

Holes in the top layer of the ground? 1

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Zero unless you reach Australia