The Monk on the Mountain
Consider the following problem:
One morning, exactly at 8 A.M., a monk began to climb a tall mountain. The narrow path, no more than a foot or two wide, spiraled around the mountain to a glittering temple at the summit. The monk ascended the path at varying rates of speed, stopping many times along the way to rest and to eat the dried fruit he carried with him. He reached the temple precisely at 8 P.M.After several days of fasting and meditation, he began his journey back along the same path, starting at 8A.M. and again walking at varying speeds with many pauses along the way. He reached the bottom at precisely 8 P.M..
Is there at least one spot along the path the monk occupied at precisely the same time of day on both trips?
How did you come to this decision?
Materials: You
Number of People: 1-4 people
Time: 5 minutes
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