"Rhys Hughes - The Folded Page" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hughes Rhys)

The Folded Page
by Rhys Hughes




"Eight times," said Aguri.

"Eight times what?" wondered Mikiko. She had adopted the tone of a bored child learning a
multiplication table.

"A piece of paper can only be folded eight times," elaborated Aguri.

"Nonsense," replied Mikiko firmly.

"It's true." Aguri creased his brow. "Believe me, no matter how large that piece of paper, eight
times is the limit. I'm surprised you don't already know this. It's one of those unexpected facts
that people like to share with each other."

"Not with me," said Mikiko.

"That's not my fault. The number remains eight."

"I require proof," announced Mikiko.

Aguri puffed out his little cheeks and folded his little arms. His expression was a combination of
annoyance and resignation. He indicated a sketch pad that lay on the table next to a vase of
flowers and said, "Try for yourself."

Mikiko opened the pad and tore out a blank sheet. She folded it once, then twice. "Easy so
far."

"Keep going," sniffed Aguri.

A few minutes later Mikiko was scowling. "I'm not strong enough."

"Only seven times," chuckled Aguri. "If you were fully grown you might manage another fold.
But consider the mathematical progression involved in this problem. Every time you fold the
paper in half, the thickness of the paper is doubled. After one fold there are two layers, after
two folds four layers, then eight, then sixteen, thirty two, sixty four and so on. By folding the
paper seven times you created one hundred and twenty eight layers and it's very difficult to
fold so many layers all at once."

"But some people can do it," frowned Mikiko.

"Yes. It takes a lot of strength. After eight folds there are two hundred and fifty six layers
and nobody has ever progressed beyond that point. The ninth fold is an impossibility."

Mikiko scratched her chin. "I still don't believe it."