Jim,

 

I recall that in one of the audio volumes in the [manager’s name withheld] Library of Management Methods, there was a statement quantifying how much more difficult it is to break an old habit than it is to modify it or simply start a new one.  Seems to me that the number was 100 times as difficult.  So, maybe rather than concentrating on NOT doing the old routine it may be more effective to concentrate on a new and different behavior.

 

I hope the graduation was eventually successful; they normally are.

 

Good health,

Ed Turner

Texas, USA

 

***

 

 

The circumference may well have been 18.75", but of course in that case the "diameter" couldn't have been 7".  Perhaps it was 7" across the points of an "irregular sphere"? 

 

Laurence L Coulson
Tennessee, USA

 

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This is ironic, since I know for a fact that the person submitting the riddle has a bona fide “Pi” plate in their kitchen.

 

Jim

 

***

 

 

Jim,

 

24

 

From high school physics.

 

Newton's equations are used to figure it out using his law of motion (F=ma) and the gravitational attraction between two masses (and all the assumptions that go along with it),  F = Gm₁m₂/r²   One of the m's is the object's mass and the other is the earth's.  'r' is the distance between the two objects. 'G' is a mysterious gravitational attraction constant established by the system you are in. By assuming the second mass is resting on the earth's surface, r becomes the radius of the earth.   Setting the two equal F = Gm₁m₂/r² = ma.  Note that the object's mass cancels out and you're left with the earth's mass.  'a' becomes 'g' the force of gravity and  Gm/r² = g.  Rearranging:   m = gr²/G.   From my high school physics book:  'g' is 9.8 m/s² ,  'G' is 6.673 × 10^-11 Nm²/kg²      and r is  6.37 × 10⁶ m.  Substituting  m = (9.8 m/s²)(6.37 × 10⁶ m)²/(6.673 × 10^-11 Nm²/kg²).  Or   m = 5.96 × 10²⁴ kg.

 

On a test I had the kids figure out the gravitational attraction between a boy and a girl sitting on a bench 0.5 meters apart.  It was indeed a small number, too small to comprehend.

 

Graduation was last night.  Out of nineteen seniors, six received college scholarships.

 

God Bless,

 

Gene Canavan

Alabama, USA

 

***

 

 

Just read a copy of your column posted on an internal company website, and
I agree with your viewpoint and found your column very interesting.

Please add me to your distribution list for this.

Thanks

Joel Youngblood
South Carolina, USA

 

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