🚀 go-pugleaf

William R. Penrose wrote:
> 
> In article <01bc0db2$216f18c0$b8ad11cf@lucasea-home> "Eric Lucas" <lucas@superlink.net> writes:
> >From: "Eric Lucas" <lucas@superlink.net>
> >Subject: Re: DAMN, THAT'S COOL! (Help a fellow geek)
> >Date: 29 Jan 1997 07:01:09 GMT
> 
> >Louis Hom <lhom@nature.berkeley.edu> wrote in article
> ><5cmpbo$nds@agate.berkeley.edu>...
> >>       For example, one of my favorite things is the solid that you get
> >> when you rotate y=1/(log x) about the x-axis -- it has finite volume but
> >an
> >> infinite surface.  So if you had a container that shape, you could fill
> >it
> >> up with some finite quantity of paint, but it would never be enough to
> >> actually paint the surface of the thing.
> 
> >Pretty cool.  Simple (obvious) explanation:  as the two branches approach
> >the asymtote, the distance between them gets infinitely small, leaving
> >infinitely little space for the layer of paint.  Now, if you could come up
> >with a paint that covers in an infinitely thin layer, you'd really have
> >something.
> 
> But this result doesn't depend on the dimensions of atoms or anything,

Odd that, according to this, the thickness of a layer of paint doesn't 
depend upon the dimensions of the "atoms" (molecules) forming the paint. 
Pretty clearly shows that there's something wrong with your assumptions.

> It is one of those weird things that calculus does, when you calculate
> surfaces and volumes of revolution.  

In my experience, calculus does no weird things.  However, there are
plenty of weird explanations offered for things people don't fathom
about calculus.

> Even your infinitely thin paint wouldn't cover it.

I can't wait to see the proof of this.  When can I expect it?
 
> The lesson is:  If you are a painter, be careful of what you bid on.

Very sage advice.  Anyone with painting experience can attest to this.

> 
> Bill
> 
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Ron Welch
President of Irrelevant Things
Lincoln Park, NJ