The Josephus Problem - Numberphile

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 พ.ย. 2024

ความคิดเห็น • 6K

  • @Robi2009
    @Robi2009 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3540

    I like how he doesn't just gives the answer, but discusses whole process of getting the right answer step by step

    • @DraconicDuelist
      @DraconicDuelist 5 ปีที่แล้ว +116

      If only schools were this interesting.

    • @Mixu.
      @Mixu. 5 ปีที่แล้ว +60

      @@DraconicDuelist idk, back when I was still in school it was pretty much exactly like this. Sometimes a bit faster though, if there wasn't a ton of time

    • @DraconicDuelist
      @DraconicDuelist 5 ปีที่แล้ว +60

      @@Mixu. Then I congratulate you on having a well trained/enthusiastic teacher.
      I had one who said there are no numbers less than 0 (no, not even negatives), another who spent all of class time on e-bay while flipping through PPT slides, my geometry teacher left only 2 educational memories: proofs and Numb3rs (the tv show)...

    • @Mixu.
      @Mixu. 5 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      @@DraconicDuelist owh. Yeah, guess I got lucky. Had a pretty motivated math teacher who also taught us about how math is applied in every aspect of our daily lives

    • @neelamverma8167
      @neelamverma8167 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      BECAUSE SIZE MATTERS ,,, ON TH-cam ,,,, VIDEO LENGTH

  • @mundering1
    @mundering1 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7942

    A lot of people died in the making of this video.

    • @ministerc9513
      @ministerc9513 5 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      How many?

    • @johnburke3693
      @johnburke3693 5 ปีที่แล้ว +47

      Shouldn't it be a lot of "hypothetical" soldiers from long ago "hypothetically" died? In real terms, I'm much more concerned about the cost of butcher block paper this guy is going through on a daily basis. Ha! Have a great day everyone.

    • @Sillimant_
      @Sillimant_ 5 ปีที่แล้ว +120

      @@johnburke3693 you're fun at parties aren't you

    • @alanbrown397
      @alanbrown397 5 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      @@ministerc9513 (2^n)-1 of course

    • @cavorkehl6777
      @cavorkehl6777 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@johnburke3693 I wonder if there are videos which contained topics about infinity soldiers killing each others, and at least one people watch each day...

  • @jacksun9873
    @jacksun9873 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5257

    The story of josephus also goes to show the lengths mathematicians will go to to not have a difficult conversation.

    • @yashovardhandubey5252
      @yashovardhandubey5252 5 ปีที่แล้ว +42

      Damn bro 😂😂😂

    • @alcabone1126
      @alcabone1126 5 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      Im 1k like noice

    • @hawaiianlolo1066
      @hawaiianlolo1066 5 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      Math to solve pointless problems.

    • @billblaken2699
      @billblaken2699 4 ปีที่แล้ว +94

      Einstein’s Theory of Relativity was pointless math in the early 1900s. Few people even had the ability to see the need. The problem is you have no crystal ball to have any idea on the applications that may come up in the next 100 or 200 years.

    • @savagetruthercritic8646
      @savagetruthercritic8646 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      X-D

  • @hsl8251
    @hsl8251 3 ปีที่แล้ว +653

    I'm taking a class with this guy right now and I can't believe that I've watched this video before and I never realized until today that this is him. He's easily the best prof I've had tho.

    • @prequelanimations539
      @prequelanimations539 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      cool!

    • @trickytreyperfected1482
      @trickytreyperfected1482 2 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      It's probably too late, but you should ask him about this problem and see what his response is. Maybe "Hey, I actually helped make a video on that very topic"

    • @catmomjewett
      @catmomjewett 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I can imagine so. I enjoyed this.

    • @allasar
      @allasar 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      ... should learn to iron his shirts though.

    • @catmomjewett
      @catmomjewett 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@allasar nobody’s perfect. I’ll accept brilliant in place of pressed laundry. 🧐 😺

  • @heyguysinternet
    @heyguysinternet 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7773

    This is the most violent math problem I've ever seen.

    • @andipandi5641
      @andipandi5641 5 ปีที่แล้ว +127

      you are not familiar with the mathematicians employed by the RAF to determine the most efficient way of killing the most people by dropping bombs on them back in the forties..

    • @josemarianol.ladrera9104
      @josemarianol.ladrera9104 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@Valchrist1313 SHAD no!

    • @case3270
      @case3270 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ever sense how many bombs would bin laden have if 3 terrorists blew themselves up with 4 bombs each and bin laden had 420 bombs in the beginning

    • @jdmac44
      @jdmac44 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      After E=MC²

    • @DavidLindes
      @DavidLindes 4 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      @@Valchrist1313 how 'bout we agree that our original poster meant "math puzzle", in a strictly academic and/or pedagogical (rather than applied maths) context.

  • @RadicalCaveman
    @RadicalCaveman 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3368

    The sound effect when a soldier gets killed deserves an award.

    • @ninjapacman26
      @ninjapacman26 5 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      What about the unpleasant scratching of his marker on the paper? What does that deserve?

    • @kasjomis
      @kasjomis 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      ive watched this vid so many times JUST to hear that sound effect

    • @justme-yw5fj
      @justme-yw5fj 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Man scream have to admit i laugh on movies with man screams

    • @rajasparanjpe3791
      @rajasparanjpe3791 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      It's like an Android button click sound effect

    • @rgtcr3320
      @rgtcr3320 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Satisfying

  • @legendar3842
    @legendar3842 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6430

    The real problem is Josephus’ loyalty

    • @patrickhayes7407
      @patrickhayes7407 5 ปีที่แล้ว +136

      Touché

    • @noobiebro7266
      @noobiebro7266 5 ปีที่แล้ว +62

      I don't know why I can't stop laughing 😂

    • @cloroxman7194
      @cloroxman7194 5 ปีที่แล้ว +36

      Is that a jojo reference ?

    • @noobiebro7266
      @noobiebro7266 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@cloroxman7194 Don't make me remember of jojo, Jojo was my fav character in SC

    • @gramsobie2989
      @gramsobie2989 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      xD

  • @dempseyone747
    @dempseyone747 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4903

    Plot twist. Josephus after working feverishly on the problem but found that seat 19 was already occupied…by his math professor.

    • @Shinrakaichu
      @Shinrakaichu 3 ปีที่แล้ว +84

      Lol

    • @steveclem7873
      @steveclem7873 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      SumENazViruleCowO&ootRojaz!

    • @16_rafi44
      @16_rafi44 3 ปีที่แล้ว +184

      He just gonna pick 35 and he is gonna be safe with his math professor after a truce

    • @lakulo27
      @lakulo27 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      spoiler alert bro 😭

    • @kayannrobinson8476
      @kayannrobinson8476 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Shinrakaichu i

  • @megaagentj2248
    @megaagentj2248 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9238

    Jews: we’re gonna commit suicide to avoid being captured
    Josephus: hang on lemme do some algebra

    • @savagetruthercritic8646
      @savagetruthercritic8646 4 ปีที่แล้ว +105

      Boolean algebra X-D

    • @hugo57k91
      @hugo57k91 4 ปีที่แล้ว +491

      And if he does it wrong he'll have a alge-bruh moment

    • @WasiMaster
      @WasiMaster 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      He's stoopid

    • @blackalien6873
      @blackalien6873 4 ปีที่แล้ว +101

      @@jwm6314 He didn't fight to the death. He surrendered and became the right hand man to the general who later became Roman Caesar.

    • @sxildrxp9063
      @sxildrxp9063 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      XD

  • @soyjoyy
    @soyjoyy 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7008

    Imagine doing all of these calculations, and then one dude decides to go counterclockwise.

    • @pranalijoshi4623
      @pranalijoshi4623 4 ปีที่แล้ว +126

      You just number anticlockwise 🤷🏽‍♀️

    • @kkidude8441
      @kkidude8441 4 ปีที่แล้ว +497

      @@pranalijoshi4623 but you already sat to where it goes clockwise and you can't switch seats because the killing already started :/
      I don't think you got it but ok

    • @keontedennis7872
      @keontedennis7872 3 ปีที่แล้ว +174

      @@pranalijoshi4623 imagine not having basic reading comprehension skills

    • @omeganeox
      @omeganeox 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      lol 🥲

    • @henriklange8175
      @henriklange8175 3 ปีที่แล้ว +92

      @@keontedennis7872 That's not entirely fair, while their comment does purposefully ignore the joke of the original comment, the original comment didn't say you were already seated, and so you could reasonably reverse the circle mentally, sitting in the correct seat.

  • @nickhadfield3192
    @nickhadfield3192 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1109

    Well, that's possibly the happiest explanation of a pretty morbid problem I've ever seen.

    • @rewrose2838
      @rewrose2838 8 ปีที่แล้ว +50

      nothing remains morbid when put in front of a mathematician . . . or on a platter~

    • @uuu12343
      @uuu12343 6 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      Nick Hadfield
      To be fair, people were pretty enthusiastic when the math for the atomic and nuclear bombs were created
      For some reason

    • @anna-lenarapp4965
      @anna-lenarapp4965 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      hm when you say that I asume you Like seeing people get killed^^

    • @yvonnedrysdale6023
      @yvonnedrysdale6023 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      Nick Hadfield ha ha yep

    • @acchaladka
      @acchaladka 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      Welcome to the history of my people, basically.

  • @bestsportsmoments31
    @bestsportsmoments31 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1956

    Students: Where will we use math in real life?
    Real Life:

    • @steveclem7873
      @steveclem7873 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Qui?poobLikaz?

    • @WinterNox
      @WinterNox 2 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      @@steveclem7873 indeed my friend

    • @sporkspork8556
      @sporkspork8556 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      lol

    • @rathish43
      @rathish43 2 ปีที่แล้ว +37

      Ok now after spending 30 mins here I know the solution for this problem and now all I need to do is wait till a army of roman soldiers catch me with 41 others

    • @karintate
      @karintate 2 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      But before you can decide where to sit, you have to know which seat will be “1”. What if you’re not in on that decision? That’s life.

  • @TeteBruleeFR
    @TeteBruleeFR 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1530

    My thoughs during the whole process...
    If Josephus managed to figure this out just after the rush, and the adrenalin of a battle, and found the correct seat he had to pick in the little he had to think...
    The dude deserved to live...

    • @shinozaddy5939
      @shinozaddy5939 5 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      Nah he got lucky 😂

    • @blackalien6873
      @blackalien6873 4 ปีที่แล้ว +90

      He became the advisor to the caesar. He was a genius

    • @krishkriz9854
      @krishkriz9854 4 ปีที่แล้ว +36

      Well he doesn't have variable n. When n is fixed it's easy actually

    • @crhu319
      @crhu319 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      He went on to provide the mythical basis for Christianity.

  • @zak686
    @zak686 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4355

    "If you were writing your numbers in binary..." as one typically does

    • @Banana_Zach
      @Banana_Zach 5 ปีที่แล้ว +114

      ah yes, computerspeak

    • @agotisan1
      @agotisan1 4 ปีที่แล้ว +95

      *waits in replies to find the dingus who says “I aCtUaLlY wRiTe My NuMbErS iN bInArY”*

    • @haroonq2456
      @haroonq2456 4 ปีที่แล้ว +171

      *I aCtUaLlY wRiTe My NuMbErS iN bInArY* (nt rly)

    • @majikss
      @majikss 4 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      @@haroonq2456 I'm gonna call bs on that one big man

    • @haroonq2456
      @haroonq2456 4 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      @@majikss yeah it's jokes

  • @thatboydaniel6655
    @thatboydaniel6655 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4676

    Why was the 6 afraid of 7?
    Because 7 killed 1.

    • @trevormiles5852
      @trevormiles5852 5 ปีที่แล้ว +102

      because 7-8-9

    • @thatboydaniel6655
      @thatboydaniel6655 5 ปีที่แล้ว +332

      @@trevormiles5852 You ruined it.

    • @trek8388
      @trek8388 5 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@trevormiles5852 XDDDD

    • @Majestic469
      @Majestic469 5 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      Trevor Miles r/whoosh

    • @Scotty-vs4lf
      @Scotty-vs4lf 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      no no no it is why was 6 afraid of 7? because 7 8 9. why so cruel...

  • @KingGrio
    @KingGrio 4 ปีที่แล้ว +241

    01:40
    "Phil Hanlen: what we should do is gather data. You and your classmates please form a circle while I go get a sword..."
    Daniel Erman forgot to mention that's the reason why he's here today to tell us the solution to the problem.
    Phil Hanlen sure played a big role to leading him to maths with very convincing incentives

    • @gamoholic7653
      @gamoholic7653 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      It cracked me up so hard xD

  • @-7-man
    @-7-man 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3646

    What if Josephus calculated the position he should sit and the first person was a left hander and started in a counterclockwise direction? 😭

    • @bitharne
      @bitharne 5 ปีที่แล้ว +158

      -7- man they are all, already, left handed actually 🤷‍♂️

    • @hunterthemadman
      @hunterthemadman 5 ปีที่แล้ว +211

      Back then, weaponry training was standardized so everyone could use the same weaponry. It was guaranteed to go to the left.

    • @dewannaeem7283
      @dewannaeem7283 5 ปีที่แล้ว +81

      They'd need to be right handed for a counter clockwise rotation.

    • @felux805
      @felux805 5 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      or he didnt know what is right and left LULW

    • @LawyerFoxy69eweokno
      @LawyerFoxy69eweokno 5 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      The one who takes the napkin first....

  • @ZenoDovahkiin
    @ZenoDovahkiin 5 ปีที่แล้ว +14851

    The real question is: Why do they fear the Romans if they have *_BOOMERANG SWORDS?_*

    • @jbjaguar2717
      @jbjaguar2717 5 ปีที่แล้ว +417

      The Australians had actual boomerangs. Didn't work out too well for them.

    • @DavidSavinainen
      @DavidSavinainen 5 ปีที่แล้ว +468

      Jb Jaguar Well, Josephus wasn’t caught by an army of emus

    • @MOZZQUESTVANYALI
      @MOZZQUESTVANYALI 5 ปีที่แล้ว +170

      @@DavidSavinainen The emus would win anyway

    • @smellfish1430
      @smellfish1430 5 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      And the boomerang swords...

    • @rayparr1
      @rayparr1 5 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      For the sake of argument I guess.

  • @gints2766
    @gints2766 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1873

    The detail of having the little animated guy flop his hand as he dies is ...

  • @danktankdragkings7117
    @danktankdragkings7117 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    This video is amazing at getting me to calm down from a panic attack. It triggers my logic brain and starts shutting down my death spiral by focusing on someone else's death spiral where a solution is possible every time.

  • @freedom3594
    @freedom3594 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2759

    This is the most f*cked up game of duck duck goose I’ve ever seen.

    • @marekcmonster1937
      @marekcmonster1937 4 ปีที่แล้ว +36

      I laughed so hard at that

    • @yazajag
      @yazajag 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Laughed out loud at this too
      😂🦆🗡

    • @gavyncarpenter1844
      @gavyncarpenter1844 4 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      or the most ducked up

    • @Playtonz
      @Playtonz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      wow why is there even 1 like on your comment

    • @freedom3594
      @freedom3594 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      playtonz, because at least *2.6K people that read it have a sense of humor. It’s clear that you don’t. And that is just fine. Also, I gave your comment a like. 👍
      *Edit: 2.6K (I’m looking at you, playtonz)

  • @skoozy8614
    @skoozy8614 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2099

    What if josephus had a friend Jimmy who also wanted to live? And they want
    wanted to coordinate them being the last 2 survivors? How can one represent this as a function?

    • @turdytootsan3258
      @turdytootsan3258 5 ปีที่แล้ว +775

      I liked your comment so much I tried to figure this out myself. Turns out, it's almost the same as the original but slightly different.
      The second last person's position gets changed to 1 every time N (number of people) is 3(2^a) rather than just 2^a like before (so the second last person will be 1 when N = 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96 etc.). Using this we can use the same strategy of making an equation N = 3(2^a) + M much like N = 2^a + L. From there the equations for the last person and the second last person are 2L + 1 and 2M + 1 respectively. I bet one can generalize this even further and make a formula for the nth last person.

    • @allthingstoallmen8912
      @allthingstoallmen8912 5 ปีที่แล้ว +241

      See, now you're asking the real questions

    • @linmcdow9131
      @linmcdow9131 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      +

    • @Astral_YT
      @Astral_YT 5 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      Probably (this is just a guess) n = (2^a + l) -1

    • @Astral_YT
      @Astral_YT 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Turdy Tootsan I make an estimate of n = (2^a + l) -1

  • @jessieessex
    @jessieessex 6 ปีที่แล้ว +2076

    I will never sit in an even seat again.

    • @Writeous0ne
      @Writeous0ne 6 ปีที่แล้ว +81

      what if you sit in an odd seat and someone slides a chair up xD

    • @laszlobandi6456
      @laszlobandi6456 5 ปีที่แล้ว +59

      others will notice that you are odd

    • @dimitrismatas3503
      @dimitrismatas3503 5 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      well odd and even is relative to how everyone starts counting.If you sit in a circle table practically every sit is even and odd.

    • @Ometecuhtli
      @Ometecuhtli 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Thank you Josephus

    • @sinoroman
      @sinoroman 5 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      odd that you would say that

  • @omikronweapon
    @omikronweapon ปีที่แล้ว +15

    This is one of my favorite videos. Solid explanation, positive reinforcement of guessing without being completely right. And very approachable maths. The animation compliments it nicely. Plus, an example of an intelligent guy being less than perfect at drawing a circle.

  • @sohamkanerkar4082
    @sohamkanerkar4082 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1705

    I love the way 1 boomerangs his sword

    • @toweypat
      @toweypat 5 ปีที่แล้ว +63

      You'd think that with boomerang words such as that, they could defeat the Roman army.

    • @dsennack7792
      @dsennack7792 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Soham Kanerkar he did a darth vader

    • @j.vonhogen9650
      @j.vonhogen9650 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Dsennack - If I would stay alive until the end along with Darth Vader, I would immediately move to the Dark Side and ask Darth Vader for a job interview!

    • @cheetahcheet675
      @cheetahcheet675 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      6:33

    • @DergyQT
      @DergyQT 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      try 11:25

  • @Beefman.0
    @Beefman.0 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2999

    If they could throw swords like that why surrender?

    • @mawillix2018
      @mawillix2018 7 ปีที่แล้ว +74

      Luke Beef Exactly what I was thinking. Was going to type it myself but I found your comment.

    • @simonblackwell3576
      @simonblackwell3576 6 ปีที่แล้ว +165

      Because the enemy could throw two

    • @aidanVids
      @aidanVids 6 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      they didn't surrender didn't you watch the video

    • @drmonkeys852
      @drmonkeys852 6 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      whoooooosh

    • @juhku2
      @juhku2 6 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      whooosh

  • @defaultset
    @defaultset 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6202

    Kid's math: How many apples does jessica have after giving 4 apples to matt?
    *_M a n ' s_* math: What position would you take in order to live another day as a war prisoner?

  • @magnus0017
    @magnus0017 2 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    For those curious, the reason the binary solution works at the end (and I've watched this vid like ten times over the last few years and it finally clicked) is because when you move a number to the left in binary, you multiply that value by 2. In decimal, 40 becoming 400, that's ten times bigger, in binary, 10 (2) becoming 100 (4) is doubling.
    Remember in the solution, it was 2L +1 is the correct seat. L = the whole binary number except the first digit, because that is the power of 2a, since all binary digits are powers of two and we ignore the largest one. By removing that first digit, and shifting everything left, we have doubled L. Then we need to add one, so we place the one from the front at the end, which increases the value by one, giving us 2L+1
    Small note that confused me at first, while in computers you will often see binary numbers start with 0, here that won't happen because computers work by having a fixed length, the most famous being the 8bit of 00000000 or the like, and they show the full register all the time. Normally we write decimal numbers, like 41, but we could also write it as 00000041 if we wanted to force an eight length number. That's computers, not binary itself, so you can expect every binary number to start with 1 in this case, the amount removed by taking it away is the largest power of 2 in the number, and adding it to the end always will increase the total by one since it has to be a digit of 1.
    Love this video, and boomerang swords are best swords.

  • @Majoofi
    @Majoofi 8 ปีที่แล้ว +455

    The hard part is getting everyone to agree to let you be the one to choose who starts.

    • @LughSummerson
      @LughSummerson 8 ปีที่แล้ว +52

      You wait until the person to start is chosen, then you take your place in the circle. If the group is a power of two, you volunteer to go first.

    • @tetraedri_1834
      @tetraedri_1834 8 ปีที่แล้ว +76

      +Lugh Summerson And then they decide to go counterclockwise...

    • @LughSummerson
      @LughSummerson 8 ปีที่แล้ว +89

      Tetraedri_
      "Hang on, guys, I think I hear God talking to me. Excuse me while I go and pray."
      Then elbow your way into the correct position when you return.

    • @RapGeneral11
      @RapGeneral11 8 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      Even if its counterclockwise in power of 2 situation the winning one will be 1.

    • @zaramurray8912
      @zaramurray8912 8 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      Majoofi But if everyone were supposed to die willingly anyway then there shouldn't be any fuss in picking someone to start.

  • @brandonlemon2060
    @brandonlemon2060 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4556

    This is advanced eeny meeny miny moe.

    • @anonanon733
      @anonanon733 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Brandon Lemon 🍋 😂

    • @bardisaythen4392
      @bardisaythen4392 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      but its in reverse

    • @guillermo3369
      @guillermo3369 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Negan should try this

    • @serbianspaceforce6873
      @serbianspaceforce6873 5 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Brandon Lemon eeny meeny miny moe, stab a tiger in his toe

    • @beccaangel7155
      @beccaangel7155 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I thought about playing tag, put our feet in. Bubble gum bubble gum in A dish how many pieces do you wish? This was cool.

  • @Hahahahaaahaahaa
    @Hahahahaaahaahaa 4 ปีที่แล้ว +434

    3:25 That boomerang blade animation tho. The production team is on point for this episode.

    • @DergyQT
      @DergyQT 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      op boomerang sword

  • @EmotionTheory
    @EmotionTheory 2 ปีที่แล้ว +33

    This is my favourite Numberphile video. Interesting problem, history, and visualisation. Most importantly, it explores how to solve *ANY* math problem. Absolutely wonderful.

  • @Missmethinksalot1
    @Missmethinksalot1 5 ปีที่แล้ว +225

    Late at night absolutely exhausted but TH-cam randomly suggested this video and I am reminded why I loved Maths as a student. Brilliant dude

  • @marcantonios1066
    @marcantonios1066 5 ปีที่แล้ว +912

    If anyone wants the binary explanation:
    The leading digit is always 1 (since we don’t bother to put zeros in front of it) and represents the largest power of 2 smaller than n. Therefore, the remaining digits are L. Shifting L to the left is equivalent to multiplying by 2 (since each digit in powers of 2 is upped by 1 power), and putting the leading digit at the end means you get 1 x 2^0, or 1. In other words, it’s equivalent to just doing 2L + 1, which was the answer the video derived

    • @senthamizhan2422
      @senthamizhan2422 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Thanks a lot. I was searching for this explanation. But I don't understand how it's multiplied by 2. What do you mean by 'shifting to left'?

    • @marcantonios1066
      @marcantonios1066 4 ปีที่แล้ว +78

      @@senthamizhan2422 Ah so in binary, each digit is a power of 2. The rightmost is 2^0, then 2^1, 2^2, etc until the leftmost digit. So the number 101 would be 1*2^2 + 0*2^1 + 1*2^0 = 5. Now "shifting to the left" means the number above would be come 1010, or 1*2^3 + 0*2^2 + 1*2^1 + 0*2^0 = 10. This is the same as multiplying by 2 because each digit is now multiplying a power of 2 that is one greater. The same reasoning means that a right shift is the same as dividing by 2 in binary.

    • @senthamizhan2422
      @senthamizhan2422 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@marcantonios1066 Thank you so much. Now I understand it.

    • @TPS9000
      @TPS9000 4 ปีที่แล้ว +54

      Yeah, as soon as he wrote out the binary and said he wouldn't go through the justification for it, my computer science education kicked in and said "Why not? It's literally the same math you just did expressed in binary; drop the highest power of 2, bitshift 1 spot left (multiply the remainder by 2), and add 1".
      A simpler explanation of why shifting the digits one spot to the left in binary is the same as multiplying by 2 is to compare it to base 10. If you want to multiply a number by 10 in base 10, just move all the numbers one spot to the left and slap a 0 on the end (e.g. 5120 = 512 times 10). Moving digits one spot to the left is always equal to multiplying the number by whatever base you're working in, so shifting the digits one spot to the left in binary (base 2) and putting a 0 on the end is the same as multiplying by 2. 10 = 1 x (base) whatever base you're working in.

    • @howardbaxter2514
      @howardbaxter2514 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      If you were to write this using ARM, you would just use the ROL function.

  • @patrigali21
    @patrigali21 6 ปีที่แล้ว +750

    The animation and sound effects are so satisfying

    • @Legominder
      @Legominder 6 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I also had to stop and laugh for minutes. Just so curius...

    • @jmfm-r2q
      @jmfm-r2q 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Ikr

    • @sheditz4962
      @sheditz4962 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      666th liker.

  • @PeterNguyenX
    @PeterNguyenX 4 ปีที่แล้ว +127

    Why am i feeling that someday a lunatic genius killer gonna play this game with their victims

    • @steveclem7873
      @steveclem7873 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      NumBerzDoopkeTaxMainz?

    • @laurennoyb539
      @laurennoyb539 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      his name is John

    • @hours444
      @hours444 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      that is squid games if u know what i mean

  • @smortboi1320
    @smortboi1320 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3870

    The real question is how the army got captured in the first place since they can just nonchalantly throw their swords like boomerangs

    • @sparkgaming5100
      @sparkgaming5100 3 ปีที่แล้ว +72

      Idk.maybe aliens

    • @jonyprepperisrael60
      @jonyprepperisrael60 3 ปีที่แล้ว +63

      They were besieged in a place without any source of water

    • @astaut2659
      @astaut2659 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      They were probably few hours from capture before doing this or sth

    • @bahaaalmasri1434
      @bahaaalmasri1434 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Mmmmm

    • @aryapanjidwiputra554
      @aryapanjidwiputra554 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Smortboi ask smortquestion

  • @andrewkvk1707
    @andrewkvk1707 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1979

    and then they start the circle at the wrong person.

    • @benip3751
      @benip3751 8 ปีที่แล้ว +166

      That feeling of knowing you will die... rip.

    • @brachypelmasmith
      @brachypelmasmith 8 ปีที่แล้ว +108

      can we start again? Or can I go to the bathroom and sit somewhere else then?

    • @habdochkeineahnung
      @habdochkeineahnung 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      dont you know you will die? lol

    • @iLLixer
      @iLLixer 8 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      gave me a chukle

    • @x52m
      @x52m 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      1 will always equal the first person to go lol

  • @willt178
    @willt178 8 ปีที่แล้ว +735

    The killing animation is oddly satisfying

    • @BestOnThursdays
      @BestOnThursdays 6 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Will T
      Oh thank God...I thought I was the only one

    • @elloello4484
      @elloello4484 6 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Will T oddly so, with great shame and enthusiasm

    • @davidprimeau3368
      @davidprimeau3368 6 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Asolutely, and the second best thing is the thud in the animation.

    • @CultofThings
      @CultofThings 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      It's the sound

    • @georgeruiz9211
      @georgeruiz9211 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@CultofThings its so satisfying

  • @rogyx2289
    @rogyx2289 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    In case anyone's wondering, the binary "trick" works because:
    1. To find the solution, you first subtract the highest power of 2 from the number, which is the first 1 from the left in binary
    2. Then you multiply L by 2, and 2 is 10 in binary, so you just add 0 to the right of the number
    3. You add 1 to get 2L+1 as the solution, so that means that 0 from step 2 becomes 1

  • @haveoneonme
    @haveoneonme 8 ปีที่แล้ว +625

    i love the sound of the sword hitting the people idk why xD

    • @B3nnub1rd
      @B3nnub1rd 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      Max Moore
      Me too. Thwunk!

    • @brachypelmasmith
      @brachypelmasmith 8 ปีที่แล้ว +56

      I like the throwing sword method

    • @m.a.3322
      @m.a.3322 8 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I thought your dp was a hair on my phone screen

    • @srwapo
      @srwapo 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      It reminds me of a sound effect you'd hear in an NES game.

    • @TheMLPRyan
      @TheMLPRyan 8 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      your profile picture is genius

  • @richardfry2069
    @richardfry2069 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1331

    The title of this video should be called "How to betray your very last friends in life"

    • @richardfry2069
      @richardfry2069 6 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      blood oath

    • @handsomebrick
      @handsomebrick 6 ปีที่แล้ว +111

      "how to weasel out of your suicide pact"

    • @rokpodlogar6062
      @rokpodlogar6062 6 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      well, i sort of doubt 40 people would care for the sole man's wish to live.

    • @trevormiles5852
      @trevormiles5852 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      For the first time I can really recommend this; do not do this at home....its just to messy and too much to explain.

    • @venkatajayanth4806
      @venkatajayanth4806 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      😂😂😂😂😂

  • @villanelo1987
    @villanelo1987 8 ปีที่แล้ว +694

    I really liked this video.
    I have to say, videos with silly and irrelevant math curiosities are my favourite ones.

    • @Mayank-Makkar
      @Mayank-Makkar 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      👍

    • @DekuStickGamer
      @DekuStickGamer 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      I tried the problem and got the pattern, but man was it useless. Still fun though.

    • @luizhkgx
      @luizhkgx 8 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      that is far from irrelevant.

    • @funkytom7709
      @funkytom7709 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      villanelo1987 : Il like your avatar ! baldur's gate \o/ and this char was my favorite because of bouh ^^

    • @DekuStickGamer
      @DekuStickGamer 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      Luiz Henrique elaborate

  • @ИринаХанжиева-п9д
    @ИринаХанжиева-п9д 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    When they showed the pattern up to 16, one thought popped into my mind: maybe I can use logarithms to write this. 10 minutes of shuffling later, I made:
    W(n)=2(n-2^(floor(log2(n))))+1
    This is the first time that I did such a thing - I've heard of logs and know what they do, but I've never attempted to use one in an equation before. Thank you for inspiring me to try new methods!

  • @DreadKiwi
    @DreadKiwi 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1332

    That boomerang sword throw at 3:25 was priceless.

    • @zeevyehuda2501
      @zeevyehuda2501 8 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      I'm not the only one who noticed it!

    • @quacking.duck.3243
      @quacking.duck.3243 8 ปีที่แล้ว +39

      SputnikSkull7 I was not expecting it and burst out laughing when I saw it

    • @tohopes
      @tohopes 8 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      Yeah.. if I had a +3 sword of boomeranging then I think I might be better off sitting this whole thing out, you know?

    • @psikogeek
      @psikogeek 8 ปีที่แล้ว +84

      If only he applied his skills to fighting the Romans.

    • @SuperSilkyJohnson
      @SuperSilkyJohnson 8 ปีที่แล้ว +38

      Clearly his heart bar was full.

  • @laramiefrank479
    @laramiefrank479 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1392

    This is how math should be taught in schools, being able to solve hard problems without knowing much information beforehand, rather than relying only on a formula for everything

    • @you2tooyou2too
      @you2tooyou2too 5 ปีที่แล้ว +85

      And knowing it has practical implications in Roman life! :)

    • @kidskers6771
      @kidskers6771 5 ปีที่แล้ว +41

      but there is a formula to this problem

    • @aakksshhaayy
      @aakksshhaayy 5 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      And a liberal amount of death and gore

    • @laramiefrank479
      @laramiefrank479 5 ปีที่แล้ว +56

      @@kidskers6771 but it is not known at the beginning. They are using only the information given and finding the formula themselves

    • @luciditywaling
      @luciditywaling 5 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      The way math is taught encourages lazy thinking

  • @FizzleFX
    @FizzleFX 4 ปีที่แล้ว +675

    "Joseph, are you doing death math again!?"
    *looks up from sheet* "Uhh no?"

  • @danielshapiro4798
    @danielshapiro4798 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    The last trick works because you are sliding everything a position over, which doubles the value of each since each binary spot to the left is just an additional power of two. And you will always be adding 1 because the binary representation of N will never start with 0 (since you always start with whatever the highest 2^a is). Very cool trick.

  • @jackskudlarek3138
    @jackskudlarek3138 5 ปีที่แล้ว +483

    4:20 *waiting for the 177 "sha-thunks" of the swords*
    4:21 my disappointment is immeasurable and my day has been ruined.

    • @johnroby6524
      @johnroby6524 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@NotAlshami I paused the video to figure it out cuz I had to know.

    • @masterspark9880
      @masterspark9880 4 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      11:25 makes up for it. Kind of

    • @mariafe7050
      @mariafe7050 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Winning seat is 101 btw

    • @Owen_loves_Butters
      @Owen_loves_Butters 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      178=10110010->1100101=101

    • @DergyQT
      @DergyQT 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@masterspark9880 ye

  • @GuildmasterWigglytuff
    @GuildmasterWigglytuff 8 ปีที่แล้ว +609

    Huh, the binary trick actually makes a lot of sense.
    Based off of how a and l are defined, we know that the leftmost digit corresponds to 2^a, and the rest of the sequence is l. Then we shift each digit in l one place to the left, essentially doubling their values and giving us 2l. Then we place that 1 we took off on the right end, in the 1s place. So the result is 2l+1, the solution to the problem.
    Nifty!

    • @benjaminv3748
      @benjaminv3748 8 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      indeed makes a lot of sense, beautiful!

    • @TheAwesomeDudeGuy
      @TheAwesomeDudeGuy 8 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Really cool, thanks for explaining :) Little correction: The digits are shifted left :)

    • @GuildmasterWigglytuff
      @GuildmasterWigglytuff 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      +TheAwesomeDudeGuy D'oh, you're right. Fixed.

    • @Zafoshin
      @Zafoshin 7 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Was just going to say this. I was right to search the comments for some1 who already did :p

    • @japascho
      @japascho 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      an i felt so smart as i came on that solutuin xD

  • @raphaelkox
    @raphaelkox 8 ปีที่แล้ว +486

    I'm pretty sure they had a chance to fight back with the spin-throw sword technique, just saying...

    • @Mackenziewebber
      @Mackenziewebber 7 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      But they wanted to die

    • @BenReplay99
      @BenReplay99 6 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      aidan bowman but it's not suicide mate

    • @evaahh9584
      @evaahh9584 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      Ben Lehner but it is when you are the last person

  • @mangelsimonpaniello2256
    @mangelsimonpaniello2256 3 ปีที่แล้ว +68

    Someone has to mention the satisfying sound the killing swords make, and I guess that someone is me

    • @St-bh5oz
      @St-bh5oz 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Amogus

  • @th484953
    @th484953 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1524

    I really enjoyed this video. Liked Daniel, liked the problem but particularly liked the trick at the end.

    • @numberphile
      @numberphile  8 ปีที่แล้ว +63

      Glad you enjoyed it

    • @jamief415
      @jamief415 8 ปีที่แล้ว +51

      Thomas Whelan the animations were very swish too

    • @detrues321
      @detrues321 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I know Daniel Erman said he wouldn't explain the binary trick, but can anyone else? I mean that's as close to mathematical black magic as anything I've ever seen and I would love to know more.

    • @eltonbergruh8339
      @eltonbergruh8339 8 ปีที่แล้ว +50

      +Dan Brown If you move the highest digit of the binary to the end, you effectively do: 2×l+1. First you subtract the highest digit, our 2^a, then you move all remainig digits one up, which is multiplication by 2 in binary, then you add 1 on the 2^1 spot, which is one.

    • @walexander8378
      @walexander8378 8 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      i didn't like the trick because tricks are deceitful and of the devil.

  • @ktosnieznany5543
    @ktosnieznany5543 8 ปีที่แล้ว +330

    First digit in binary is always 1, so if you put it at the end, you remove biggest power of 2 smaller than n, the move every other digit to the left, so you multiply it by 2 and then you add 1. So it's 2l+1.

    • @ScormGaming
      @ScormGaming 8 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Exactly, the justification he didn't give is merely what happens when you shift by one digit an entire number in a given base, then add a single unit.

    • @MartinPuskin
      @MartinPuskin 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Thanks!

    • @phentas
      @phentas 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Here sir, take my upvote. I came here for this

    • @80cardcolumn
      @80cardcolumn 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      So obviously, if n = 2^a - 1 then W(n) = n, and is the only case where W(n) = n.
      Eg. 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, etc.

    • @FredricF
      @FredricF 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I was also wondering why they did not point this trivial bit out, but then I am a programmer so maybe manipulation of binary numbers seem more obvious to me and my kind.

  • @commenturthegreat2915
    @commenturthegreat2915 5 ปีที่แล้ว +386

    In the real story Josephus convinced the last remaining solider to get captured with him.

    • @ricardocima
      @ricardocima 5 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      True. Funniest guy in ancient history. What about the "dream" that Traiano would be emperor? LOL Got him his "Flavius". Excellent stories.

    • @justme-yw5fj
      @justme-yw5fj 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Don't you love replaying movies its like we learn how people feel when we have to walk in thier shoes and experiance life through there shoes

    • @AZ-kr6ff
      @AZ-kr6ff 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      His name was Jimmy.

    • @commenturthegreat2915
      @commenturthegreat2915 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ricardocima what

    • @ricardocima
      @ricardocima 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@commenturthegreat2915 he prophesized to the romans that Tito would become emperor. Trajan died soon after and he became Tito's favorite, hence his name Flavius (Tito's family) Josephus. If i recall it well, I mean...

  • @redstonepotato9756
    @redstonepotato9756 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Saw this video and decided to make a python program to tell you at an instant the number position you would need to stand in, fun project for someone learning programming!! I’m proud and thanks for the inspiration!

  • @TheTariqibnziyad
    @TheTariqibnziyad 7 ปีที่แล้ว +731

    but if they can throw their swords the way they do no Roman army can capture them.

    • @lexisbab
      @lexisbab 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😁

    • @irrelevant_noob
      @irrelevant_noob 5 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      Unless the romans have... you know, shields? ;-)

    • @thallium54
      @thallium54 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      优秀

    • @HammerDemonn
      @HammerDemonn 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Unless the Romans can throw their swords too...

    • @liamgulyas9476
      @liamgulyas9476 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@irrelevant_noob stfu Irrelevant noob

  • @romanr9883
    @romanr9883 8 ปีที่แล้ว +654

    finally a problem i can relate to

    • @grovertigo
      @grovertigo 8 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      you've been in this situation before? q:

    • @iAmTheSquidThing
      @iAmTheSquidThing 8 ปีที่แล้ว +76

      We've all been there.

    • @feynstein1004
      @feynstein1004 8 ปีที่แล้ว +51

      Username checks out

    • @feynstein1004
      @feynstein1004 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      ***** I see what you did there

    • @medokn99
      @medokn99 8 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      User Name Lol

  • @tatsuuuuuu
    @tatsuuuuuu 5 ปีที่แล้ว +705

    1.4 K dislikes... did youtube's algorithm recommend this video to the wrong audience?

    • @PeterSedesse
      @PeterSedesse 5 ปีที่แล้ว +77

      Americans?

    • @bingbonghafu
      @bingbonghafu 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Peter Sedesse :(

    • @bingbonghafu
      @bingbonghafu 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      tatsu Maybe accident?

    • @balakae_blake2490
      @balakae_blake2490 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      112k likes.....

    • @truhoii4579
      @truhoii4579 5 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      Peter Sedesse As an American, I have the permission to say “:(“

  • @blob7800
    @blob7800 4 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    6:33 That's some pretty damn cool animation ngl

  • @gabumonboys
    @gabumonboys 6 ปีที่แล้ว +262

    I would just like to personally congratulate me, myself, and I for actually understanding this math video, because I never understand these types of math videos.

  • @benji6263
    @benji6263 8 ปีที่แล้ว +262

    the last thing about the binary notation makes complete sense, since when you remove the first digit, you are removing the largest power of 2 so you are left with what we defined as l before. and then by moving each term up 1 digit you are multiplying by 2 and then adding the one in the first digit you are adding 1. so essentially it's just giving you 2l + 1, which was the same formula we found before

    • @93BariSRock
      @93BariSRock 7 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Ben Morris yes thought the same 😁

    • @salsamancer
      @salsamancer 6 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yup. This is a very efficient way to solve this problem using a binary computer if you're not afraid to get your hands dirty with bitwise math

    • @gelerson1642
      @gelerson1642 6 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Since you explained that to me, it makes total sense now. Thank you.

    • @athom1c
      @athom1c 6 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Exactly! He COULD have justified his trick in less than thirty seconds!

  • @acorn1014
    @acorn1014 8 ปีที่แล้ว +500

    The sword swinging is so satisfying.

    • @acorn1014
      @acorn1014 8 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      ***** I am reporting you for having different tastes than me. Leave your hate speech off the internet.

    • @Scarachus
      @Scarachus 7 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Eliot _ He should've ended them rightly with a pommel

    • @Vekcrazah
      @Vekcrazah 6 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Especially the throw 😂😂😂

  • @Malaphor2501
    @Malaphor2501 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    The binary part totally makes sense. The lead digit is always going to be a one. By moving it to then end, you're essentially turning that 2^a bit to 0 and therefor, subtracting 2^a from n. Now you are left with L. By shifting all the bits over to the left one, you essentially increase the power of the binary components of L. 2^0 becomes 2^1, 2^1 becomes 2^2 and so on. This is the same as multiplying each binary component by 2 (When you multiply 2^1 by 2 it becomes 2^2), which is essentially 2L. (I hope you can follow how 2a+2b=2(a+b) where a and b are binary components of L) Now, since 2^a will always be a one, by putting it in the 2^0 position, you are adding one. The result is 2L+1

  • @heyimrobee
    @heyimrobee 8 ปีที่แล้ว +566

    PG-13 for Mathematical Violence

    • @pmcpartlan
      @pmcpartlan 8 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Ha, you should have seen the X-rated one I originally submitted to Brady...

    • @HermitianAdjoint
      @HermitianAdjoint 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Can't you release a director's cut? ;)

    • @Borednesss
      @Borednesss 8 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      No, he was uncut

    • @franzluggin398
      @franzluggin398 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      *snort*
      I needed a moment to get that one, Boredness.

    • @gorillaau
      @gorillaau 8 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Boredness Have we reached our limit yet?

  • @potato111111able
    @potato111111able 5 ปีที่แล้ว +670

    That is one weird battle royale

    • @carlwebber4094
      @carlwebber4094 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      The original battle royal

    • @Mr_Spaghetti
      @Mr_Spaghetti 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      where we dropping Josephus?

    • @btdpro752
      @btdpro752 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Epic

    • @ziyinglim4917
      @ziyinglim4917 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Ruined that 555 'cause 1) Your comment is funny. 2) Haha.

    • @durian111
      @durian111 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      Turn based battle royale

  • @jerberus5563
    @jerberus5563 4 ปีที่แล้ว +240

    This is so fascinating that I keep watching it from time to time. You could say that it keeps coming back around to me. I must be W(n).

  • @astroash
    @astroash 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I keep coming back to this because I keep forgetting the solution and I also find the animations quite satisfying.

  • @majormushu
    @majormushu 6 ปีที่แล้ว +153

    For those who want the explanation to the last part which he said he wasn't going to explain here it is:
    41 in binary is 101001 which is 2^5 + 2^3 + 2^0
    The theorem states that 2L + 1 is the winner
    L = 2^3 + 2^0 which is 001001
    Since binary is base 2 it is like multiplying by 10 in our base 10 system so you add a zero to the end
    This makes 2L = 0010010 or 010010 (because you don't need the zeros in front)
    Since 1 in binary is just 1 2L+1 is 010010 + 000001 = 010011
    and as he showed in the video, 010011 is equal to 19

    • @ykeim
      @ykeim 6 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      saved my life. thanks.

    • @jamieg2427
      @jamieg2427 6 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      The real hero.

    • @SeanPAllen
      @SeanPAllen 6 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      What about 2^5?

    • @ximomiagendainfantil484
      @ximomiagendainfantil484 6 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      fantastic! i needed this explanation, i know i wouldn't have slept, thanks!!!!

    • @ssmeech
      @ssmeech 6 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thank you! I can sleep tonight!

  • @Kinzokugia
    @Kinzokugia 4 ปีที่แล้ว +136

    Math involving letters: Speeds through it
    Basic Addition: "Hold on, did i get this right?"
    Yeah that checks out, you're a mathemetician alright.

    • @abrahamdupak9892
      @abrahamdupak9892 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Bro how do you know me so well

    • @steveclem7873
      @steveclem7873 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      OrderzFroomVerD.AcyrDeadENarRivalo?!!

    • @t0astygh0stt
      @t0astygh0stt 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I do this-

  • @xxXthekevXxx
    @xxXthekevXxx 8 ปีที่แล้ว +35

    The death-filled visualizations kept my interest piqued throughout this entire video. Well-done!

  • @aymanalali8983
    @aymanalali8983 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    for last part
    removing biggest 1 in binary means divide by 2
    then putting 1 in first is adding 1
    and all other numbers will be shifted towards left because he added 1 first so first will be second and second will be third and so on
    this shift is like multiplying by 2
    so what we did is remove biggest power of 2 then 2*L +1

  • @fakjbf3129
    @fakjbf3129 8 ปีที่แล้ว +140

    The first digit of any binary number is always one, because if it was zero you wouldn't bother writing it. Removing it is by definition removing the largest power of two. Adding a digit to the front of a binary number moves all digits to the next spot (effectively multiplying the number by two) and since it's a one that you added you would have to add one to the number. And that's why taking the first digit of a binary number and adding it to the front will always give you the 2L+1.

    • @plokijum
      @plokijum 8 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Thank you

    • @simoncarlile5190
      @simoncarlile5190 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      Bravo

    • @dilthomas8035
      @dilthomas8035 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Fakjbf I was thinking the same thing. Demystifying is one of the great steps to understanding.

    • @tomtom9509
      @tomtom9509 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Yep! I also wondered why he didn't explain it in the video as it is a very simple explanation for people understanding base 2, which, I guess is the case of most numberphile viewer

    • @David_Last_Name
      @David_Last_Name 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      That was genius

  • @yankler
    @yankler 5 ปีที่แล้ว +270

    Everyone could just swing to the left at the same time

    • @kbob8424
      @kbob8424 5 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      Ha, i like your thinking. Heck if 2 MMA fighters can knock each other out at the same time, then your idea should work.

    • @s0upLord
      @s0upLord 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      😆☠️

    • @thomasmartin1514
      @thomasmartin1514 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      what if some people just don't do it and you're just sat there looking at eachother

    • @Tillyard86
      @Tillyard86 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      They would have to time it perfectly.

  • @HeadCannon19
    @HeadCannon19 4 ปีที่แล้ว +67

    12:41 I’m pretty sure that works because when you take away the first 1, you’re taking away the largest power of 2 so you’re left with l. Then you move every digit one to the left, which is multiplying l by 2 (like how doing the same in base 10 is multiplying by 10), so you have 2l, and then adding a 1 to the end is just adding 1 because the rightmost column has a value of 1, so you have 2l+1, the same expression from earlier in the video

    • @simonconroy7610
      @simonconroy7610 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Excellent

    • @sapnaa6576
      @sapnaa6576 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Right👏

    • @doodeedah6409
      @doodeedah6409 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Btw tricks like this are genuinely useful in computing to optimise a convoluted computation to much simpler binary operations.
      This binary trick is similar to the solution for an actual question I got in an Amazon interview.

  • @zevvym
    @zevvym 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    3:24 In your last moments, where you don’t know that you can just surrender instead, just getting sniped by a tomahawk chad with a boomerang sword that you gifted them.

  • @andy02q
    @andy02q 6 ปีที่แล้ว +206

    I want an endless flash Animation with this people killing each other thing

    • @irrelevant_noob
      @irrelevant_noob 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Unfortunately, unless you change the problem to add some resurrections to it, no animation of it can be endless... :-B

    • @unlegitcombos
      @unlegitcombos 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@irrelevant_noob u could loop it

    • @irrelevant_noob
      @irrelevant_noob 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      UnLegitCombos and wouldn't such a loop "respawn" all the soldiers that were killed? -.-

  • @kouenshi7926
    @kouenshi7926 5 ปีที่แล้ว +215

    *Delivering math knowledge*
    TH-cam: DEMONETIZE

  • @krystalbel1417
    @krystalbel1417 5 ปีที่แล้ว +152

    How would you get someone to agree to be Number 2 in this scenario?

    • @pretzelbob1640
      @pretzelbob1640 5 ปีที่แล้ว +72

      They had all agreed to die beforehand

    • @Rikomer
      @Rikomer 5 ปีที่แล้ว +52

      You do it like civilized humans, you force the least liked member to sit there, tie them up, then you explain the game

    • @skepticmoderate5790
      @skepticmoderate5790 5 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      They were all meant to have been suicidal. Josephus just secretly didn't want to die.

    • @jennifermcclean1308
      @jennifermcclean1308 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Most people aren't paying attention...

    • @ulayee9927
      @ulayee9927 5 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      Seriously, considering we are all about to die, I’d rather be #2 then some #22, anticipating my turn while watching the carnage going on around.

  • @pignatedoink9718
    @pignatedoink9718 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This video is my earliest memory of doing math for fun. I just wanna say thank you

  • @lanaistheneworange3013
    @lanaistheneworange3013 5 ปีที่แล้ว +305

    December 2019: TH-cam taught me a very important lesson - don't sit at EVEN number. 😰

    • @jovianguyen
      @jovianguyen 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Always sit in an odd

    • @mauer1
      @mauer1 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@jovianguyen you always have to be the odd one.

    • @luojihencha
      @luojihencha 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      don't sit at 2l+1 number

  • @myheartiswriting
    @myheartiswriting 4 ปีที่แล้ว +67

    THIS IS THE BEST COMMENT SECTION EVER

    • @JulieWallis1963
      @JulieWallis1963 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Michelle Tabisz you’ve read every other comment section?

    • @randomperson-fz7jz
      @randomperson-fz7jz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Oh so you like this videos comment section, name every person who commented in this comment section

  • @gamingmadness9726
    @gamingmadness9726 5 ปีที่แล้ว +315

    the real question is: did josephus survive?
    edit: looked it up and he and another soldier did survive!

    • @charlesmarlowstanfield
      @charlesmarlowstanfield 5 ปีที่แล้ว +88

      well then somebody didn't follow the rules

    • @Ixonia0
      @Ixonia0 5 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      @@charlesmarlowstanfield you have me crying 🤣

    • @Bo-bz9sf
      @Bo-bz9sf 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Him and another solider survived but murdered all his fellow soldiers

    • @nanigopalsaha2408
      @nanigopalsaha2408 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      So they were at 19 and 35

    • @PunkZombie1300
      @PunkZombie1300 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@Bo-bz9sf "Uh, I can explain. It was math!"

  • @HeimirTomm
    @HeimirTomm 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Well, basically all I could do was nodding knowingly while thinking about my taco. He lost my in at about 4:03 in the video. I already knew I wasn't smart enough to understand this but I really love the enthusiasm in these videos. These are the guys that make progress for the rest of us.

    • @joshuaraper61
      @joshuaraper61 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That’s really awesome of you to call yourself out like that, I believe by the ways of the universe, that technically makes you the smartest person in this comment section! 🙃

    • @anant_singh
      @anant_singh 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I really appreciate your comment !

  • @mybutt7074
    @mybutt7074 7 ปีที่แล้ว +318

    The only way this works is if you know who will attack first.

    • @sieevansetiawan4792
      @sieevansetiawan4792 6 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      And wheter it will be clockwise or counter-clockwise.

    • @lukeasarc
      @lukeasarc 6 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      Sie, Evan Setiawan Someone would have had to have accidentally swung to the right instead of the left.
      Tho this calculation doesn't take human error into account say someone swing incorrectly hit the wrong person or some other random error but that'd be impossible to calculate a survivor then.
      But you could always live if you just didn't attend

    • @handsomebrick
      @handsomebrick 6 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      @@lukeasarc The biggest problem is that everyone will notice how one particular guy really wants the 19th position, and every time they go around he never seems to get killed.

    • @venomkiler1
      @venomkiler1 6 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      In that case your social skills come in "hey George wanna go first?" Hes n positions away from you. Plus mosy people would assume the firsy person to go would win

    • @noone3216
      @noone3216 6 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @Sie, Evan Setiawan , he said "each person kills the person to the left of him." = Clockwise

  • @litigioussociety4249
    @litigioussociety4249 8 ปีที่แล้ว +218

    Best animated Numberphile video!

    • @echaen1707
      @echaen1707 8 ปีที่แล้ว +37

      Agreed! Whoever does the animation for Numberphile deserves a raise!

    • @LNKtheWizard
      @LNKtheWizard 8 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      * Raisin

    • @joshuanorman2
      @joshuanorman2 8 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Cos it had death

  • @rewrose2838
    @rewrose2838 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2327

    This video has aroused a very strong interest in maths in me . . . alongside learning how to animate and planning ahead~
    Btw seeing how epic the spinning-sword skills of these soldiers are , why not try to fight it out? ( they stood a fighting chance there )

    • @alexeie.6187
      @alexeie.6187 7 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      Well i hope you become a great mathematic connoisseur... -_-

    • @hasans7370
      @hasans7370 7 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      Well I guess cuz they were up against a huge army and some tanks xD

    • @wallywutsizface6346
      @wallywutsizface6346 7 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      They believed suicide was the ultimate sin, so they killed each other rather than each person killing himself.

    • @DivergencesofHistory
      @DivergencesofHistory 6 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      tricky boy I'm not quite sure the roman Empire had tanks

    • @neo4884
      @neo4884 6 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Lol

  • @vex_ahlia7
    @vex_ahlia7 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Forget the problem
    Forget the animation
    Forget the conjecture
    Forget the math
    .
    .
    .
    This guys explanation skills were flawless!

  • @landonadams8122
    @landonadams8122 5 ปีที่แล้ว +456

    How long did Josephus have to figure all that out??!!

    • @jacecadiz2221
      @jacecadiz2221 5 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      haha yea I was thinkin the same thing.. they only had short time

    • @randomdude9135
      @randomdude9135 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @Ava Nightangle So you simply assume he was a mathematician?

    • @ZenoDovahkiin
      @ZenoDovahkiin 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      He only needed to figure out N = 4. So he could have just played it out and that's it.

    • @icarus-wings
      @icarus-wings 5 ปีที่แล้ว +37

      Josephus probably knew this beforehand, so when the time came he was all like, “everyone sit in a circle, but I gotta be in the 19th spot. No, Petyr, that’s my spot move over one. Just do it.”

    • @mattgrimmett6067
      @mattgrimmett6067 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Because the actual answer is far more simple. Work counter clockwise, the person who kills is the next to be killed and they fall like dominos...

  • @codebeard
    @codebeard 8 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    I like this guy's way of explaining things. I hope you feature him on your channel again.

  • @cadenhenderson4322
    @cadenhenderson4322 4 ปีที่แล้ว +38

    the justification for the final thing makes sense to me. Here’s my explanation and i’m pretty proud!
    Moving the first digit to the end in binary does a couple things. Firstly, it removes the value held by the largest value of 2, or in the sense of 2^a + L, it removes the 2^a. It also increases the value of the remaining number by shifting them all up a place value, which in binary multiplies the value by 2. Now we have 2L. But, by moving the first digit to the right, we have added one to the number. Because of this, this method is the same as 2L + 1! Awesome!

  • @Bildad1976
    @Bildad1976 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    In school, I was horrible at algebra (failed it 3x between HS and freshman year at college) because I always needed to know WHAT real-life problem I was trying to solve! Requiring me to memorize seemingly purposeless processes and procedures simply frustrated me to no end!
    Had my teachers used real life examples such as this, I believe I would have been successful at learning algebra!

  • @dylanw.1740
    @dylanw.1740 5 ปีที่แล้ว +161

    You gotta remember this for when you accidentally time travel to the roman empire and formed an alliance with the Jews

  • @stigekalder
    @stigekalder 5 ปีที่แล้ว +109

    Here's the math on how many guys were killed in this video: (12+7+5+6+2+3+4+8+13+16+13+41)-12 = 118, or 1110110, if you prefer :-D

    • @YYHoe
      @YYHoe 5 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Coincidentally, that's the current number of chemical elements! (2019)

    • @stigekalder
      @stigekalder 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hoe YY Probably it's no coincidence at all :-D

    • @lukasvondaheim
      @lukasvondaheim 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      So 1110110 people in a circle, i want to stay at 1101101?

    • @stigekalder
      @stigekalder 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Lukas von Daheim W(64+54)=(2*54)+1=109. You got it !

  • @itsmesky3545
    @itsmesky3545 7 ปีที่แล้ว +88

    The winners' common factor is that the they all are able to throw their swords like boomerangs.

  • @lforlight
    @lforlight 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    The binary trick at the end comes from the following:
    -ℓ is the remainder of the subtraction of the largest power of 2 from the number, which is like saying dropping the leftmost non-zero digit of the binary number and keeping whatever's on the right.
    -Multiplying a binary number by 2 can be done by adding a 0 to its right, or shifting all of its digits one spot to the left and adding a 0 on the new vacant digit on the right. It's like multiplying a decimal number by 10, you just add a 0 on the right.
    -Adding a 1 to the previous number would just flip the new rightmost 0 to a 1. Performing 2ℓ+1, is like taking a number and adding a 1 to its right.
    Since you drop the leftmost 1 and add a 1 to the right, it can be portrayed as moving the digit from there to here. It's an artistic depiction... except for the circular shift left operator which does exactly that.

  • @Xeverous
    @Xeverous 8 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    If someone is wondering why does it work in binary it's because :
    - removing 1st bit makes the number the value l (by removing highest 2^n)
    - to place it on the end, all bits must be shifted 1 place to the left; this multiplies l by 2
    - the newly empty space is filled with 1 from the beginning, effectively adding 1 to 2l
    Now, it's time for some C++

    • @kungaentertainment
      @kungaentertainment 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      Was wondering if someone in comments had enough brainpower... Understood that right away before he managed to move the 1 on the end haha ;)
      I prefer C# tho :P C++ comes second for me ;)

    • @testerpce
      @testerpce 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      Xeverous yea I figured it out too. removing the most significant bit removes the 2 ^n bit leaving behind l. Adding a 0 to the least significant bit is the same as multiplying by 2. And then adding 1 is like 0+1 =1. So it actually turns out to be 2*l+1. I couldn't understand it until the end of the video though. 😅 We had to learn this during dsp class learning fixed point arithmetic.

    • @testerpce
      @testerpce 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      least significant bit position *

  • @Binyamin.Tsadik
    @Binyamin.Tsadik 8 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    By shifting binary numbers left, you are multiplying by 2,
    By removing the highest 1 in binary you are removing 2^a
    And by adding a 1 to the end, you are doing the +1
    Effectively You are converting
    2^a + L
    to
    2*L + 1

    • @matts.1352
      @matts.1352 8 ปีที่แล้ว

      -Not quite correct. You're shifting all bits including the highest bit. You'd need to first remove the highest bit using a bit of math trickery.- Can take this one step further and create a single equation to model the Josephus problem for all positive integers.
      Note: P is the number of people in the ring, a^b indicates a to the power of b, _log2_ is log base 2, and _floor_ is the function to round down to the nearest integer.
      To get the highest bit, you need to shift a one bit left _floor( log2(P) )_ times. Doing so is the same as:
      2^( _floor_( _log2_(P) ) )
      Once you have the highest bit, you need to remove it, which is as simple as subtracting P by the previous equation:
      P - 2^( _floor_( _log2_(P) ) )
      After that, the rest is the same. Shift the remaining lower bits to the left one place, which is the same as multiplying by two, then add one:
      2 * (P - 2^( _floor_( _log2_(P) ) ) ) + 1
      Thus, you have a single variable equation which produces the answer to the Josephus problem for any positive integer P.

    • @Binyamin.Tsadik
      @Binyamin.Tsadik 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ***** What I said was completely correct, read it again.

    • @matts.1352
      @matts.1352 8 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Binyamin Tsadik Sorry about that. I mistakenly thought L was supposed to be the input variable (i.e. 41); I see now you meant it to be the lower bits and 2^a to be the highest bit. Either way, it was fun coming up with an equation to solve the Josephus problem.

    • @XalphYT
      @XalphYT 8 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      This is the first time where a bitwise Left Rotate No Carry could save a life.

    • @TheHamoodz
      @TheHamoodz 7 ปีที่แล้ว

      XalphYT in a math problem maybe, but moving bits in hardware is pretty useful just for info handling.

  • @noone3216
    @noone3216 6 ปีที่แล้ว +47

    "Alright everyone, we've lost. Get in the circle."
    "Wait!! How many of us are there?? Does anyone mind if I do some quick math...?"

  • @krishnashah6667
    @krishnashah6667 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Everytime i find something new about Math...I fall in love again & again❤❤❤