Translate Whole Page to Read and Solve

Πέμπτη 20 Ιουνίου 2019

Infinite beetle path

A high quality rubber band is fastened and hung from a horizontal pole with a cannonball at its end. Two facing ladybugs are crawling along this rubber band toward each other.
From their respective starting positions (8 cm apart -- see image), each small beetle crawls toward the other at a speed of 1 cm per second. However, in the length of time each beetle crawls 1 cm, the cannonball, thanks to the force of gravity, stretches the rubber band an additional 8 cm. Will the poor ladybugs ever meet? And, if yes, when? If not, why?!