Rincewind SW Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I recently remembered something I'd heard ages ago about the amount of times it is physically possible to fold any pice of paper. I think it was something like "you can only fold a piece of paper 8 times". This is an incredibly vague statement... I mean couldn't the paper be astronomically big? Or thick? And what classes as a fold? I didn't know what category it belonged in. Anyone heard this before or something similar? Anyone know the answer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rakuenso Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 try it out yourself... its true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gib65 Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I just tried with a piece of 8 by 11 and I couldn't get passed the 6th fold. I'm sure it would also have to do with the thickness. No matter how big the sheet of paper is doubling of thickness after every fold would be the same amount. After about 6 to 8 folds, it would probably be very hard to get more folds with the same degree of sharpness. I'm sure with a paper that is astronomically big you could get way more than 8 folds out of it so long as you had no limitations on how "sharp" a fold had to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xyph Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I heard 7, but either number isn't true, since you could obviously get more or less folds by decreasing or increasing the thickness of the paper without changing its size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mobius Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 this is completly vague as you pointed out... 8 is standard for 'normal' paper, but it really depends on what type of paper it is and how you fold it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I tried it with a Kleenex (facial tissue) and got 7 1/2 folds, meaning I couldn't quite get it to a flat 8th fold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokele Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I can fold it dozens of times, maybe hundreds. There's a trick to it, is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eruheru Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 i beleive its seven, but it has to be almost exactly in half Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I can fold it dozens of times, maybe hundreds. There's a trick to it, is all. Without unfolding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyrisch Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 It never says fold it in half... I think that's the trick. And, I ask again, what does your sig mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mokele Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Without unfolding. Damn, you got me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swansont Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 It never says fold it in half... I think that's the trick. And, I ask again, what does your sig mean? answered in post 14 (though it is easily Googled) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyrisch Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Yeah, I know; I read that thread after re-posting the question... Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonM Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 what if you run over the paper with your car (or hypothetically some kind of crushing machine) after the 5th 6th, 7th fold, then you might be able to fold it more... no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rincewind SW Posted October 17, 2005 Author Share Posted October 17, 2005 what if you run over the paper with your car (or hypothetically some kind of crushing machine) after the 5th 6th, 7th fold, then you might be able to fold it more... no? Probably. I doubt you could fold it hundreds of times without unfolding or just folding corners or something. I tried it but decided it proved nothing since my paper was A4. If you had paper thin enough to cut someone in half with a papercut obviously it'd be able to fold more. I tried it with a Kleenex (facial tissue) and got 7 1/2 folds, meaning I couldn't quite get it to a flat 8th fold. A tissue? It's not proper paper is it? Anyway I'm beginning to think that it only meant A4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tash =) Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 what if you run over the paper with your car (or hypothetically some kind of crushing machine) after the 5th 6th, 7th fold, then you might be able to fold it more... no? I reckon the paper would rip before you got in the 8th or 9th folds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bio-Hazard Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 Umm.. origami? I can fold a piece of paper more than 8 times.. it depends on how you fold it.. hmm. damn i got seven..i'm guessing keeping it rectangular you guys mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Thing Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 I remember something about 9 times being the maximum times and the paper gets to 512 layers, and that's how I remembered that 2^9 equals 512 all the time. Can you get to ten if you try to fold the paper with a gigantic machine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callipygous Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 Umm.. origami? I can fold a piece of paper more than 8 times.. it depends on how you fold it..hmm. damn i got seven..i'm guessing keeping it rectangular you guys mean. folding in half each time. there are plenty of different folds that keep it rectangular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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