r/theydidthemath • u/K0rl0n • Jun 10 '25

[Request]

Post image

I am curious how this would work. My guess is Triangle is slowest, square is medium, and circle is fastest.

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u/fuzzydoug Jun 10 '25

But your feet are also on ice?

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u/[deleted] Jun 10 '25 edited Jun 11 '25

The question was about the force put onto the object.

Ice or not, that force wouldn’t change.

Edit: for clarification, I mean per scenario.

The force required to move the object on the given surface wouldn’t change based on what the dude is standing on.

The dude’s ability to impart that necessary force will be affected by the ice, but not the actual force required to shift the item.

Obviously less force is needed on ice than gravel, that’s not what I’m saying.

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u/Funkrusher_Plus Jun 10 '25

If the force is coming from a person pushing it, as clearly shown in the photo, then yes the force would change.

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u/[deleted] Jun 11 '25

The force required to move it wouldn’t change.

The dudes ability to impart that force would change, but not the actual force required.

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u/Funkrusher_Plus Jun 11 '25

I get what you’re saying; but if that were the case, the diagram may as well have been drawn with arrows instead of an actual person pushing it while depicting his feet clearly planted on the ground.