How thick would paper be if you folded it 50 times?

[Matt10k]

If you could fold a standard thickness (0.0032 inches) piece of paper in half 50 times, how thick would it be?

I know you can only fold paper 7 times- it's just hypothetical...

[Matt10k]

Meh, in case anyone is actually interested- the answer is over 56 million miles.

[MarkWaldorf]

I'm confused. :sad: lmao

[MarkWaldorf]

Originally posted by Matt10k
Meh, in case anyone is actually interested- the answer is over 56 million miles.

Really?! Wow....I would have said 0.16 inches. (I probably sound such an idiot)

[Tom]

You could tell by using loads of paper and piling it on top of eachother? Ie instead of folding it over double the amount of paper that is there like

First fold- add 1 sheet to double the thickness- 2 sheets
Second fold- add 2 sheets to double the thickness- 4 sheets
Third fold- add 4 sheets to double the thickness- 8 sheets
Fourth fold- add 8 sheets and so on ...

Or am I missing something?

[Shaun]

I'm fairly sure you can only fold a piece of paper (of any size) 7 times.

[Shaun]

And you posted that in the OP. Oh dear. *slaps self*

[Matt10k]

Well it's over 56 million miles because it doubles everytime you fold it so you'd have to multiply 0.0032 by 2, 50 times, not just multiply the number itself by 50, so you'd end up with 3602879701896 inches.

That's over 56 million miles.

[Princess]

I thought you couldn't fold it that much?

[Matt]

Originally posted by Princess
I thought you couldn't fold it that much?

Matt10k acknowledged this in the first post of this thread and said it was just hypothetical :)

[Princess]

Originally posted by Matt
Originally posted by Princess
I thought you couldn't fold it that much?

Matt10k acknowledged this in the first post of this thread and said it was just hypothetical :)

Oh right. It doesn't seem it though,I've never been able to fold it more than 7 times.

[Lauren]

Originally posted by Princess

Oh right. It doesn't seem it though,I've never been able to fold it more than 7 times.

He meant the whole situation of 50 times is hypothetical, not the 'only can fold it 7 times' thing :laugh:

[Fom]

Hm. besides it being impossible... it would probably be extremely thin but tall... in fact no...

You cant haha, you cant even answer this as its impossible you cant answer something thats impossible :P Cant believe i even attempted it.