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Ambiguous language - two mathematicians try to meet up

Two students agree to meet up in a bar. They are both trying to be very precise, and try to arrive at exactly the right time, but arrive 29 minutes apart. An example of the ambiguities of language unfolds, which shows why mathematics needs to use algebraic symbols. Marcus du Sautoy sets the problem in this puzzle panel game.

2 minutes

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Mind Games12/01/2006

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