The Potato Paradox

[@Vsauce2]

Go tell someone that salad is 5% away from being soup.

[@i_RNGesus_i]

I wanted to be salad when I was a kid :)

[@tbrickman]

Told my mom. She replied with a simple "hm."

[@everyyoutuberever6935]

Mission Accepted

[@Strawberrymilkdrink]

Vsauce2 no

[@StonedCactus]

yes

[@alltheaudios3162]

Kevin: what's more water than watermelon? Me: water.

[@suomusintti]

Heheh🤣

[@ianmccreary331]

Thats what i said in my head 😂

[@ytterbius2900]

It's like you read my mind!

[@PearoIGuess]

Salad

[@triforceflyforce5831]

Insert why are you booing me meme

[@SirWrender]

Next time I get asked if I want "soup or salad" I might have an existential crisis...

[@tonihurani1325]

What is a SuperSalad???

[@nblade66]

But how much percentage of water is needed for soup? In fact, I think some soup would have a lower percentage of water than salad. Hmmm. Also, would salad even become soup or would it be a beverage, like a juice?

[@hansdampf478]

@wrenthereaper just answer the question. no hard time. 1st world problems.

[@ML-iw9zg]

especially if it is potato salad

[@TheRguru1]

"I would like to have my salad as a soup."

[@enione7251]

Famous catchphrases: Michael: Or is it? Kevin: WRONG

[@Gras_Sho_Pper]

How bout Jake

[@Sam-Pound]

What about jake?

[@demenetori7976]

Jake : Who is jake

[@MrJJBhizzle]

He lly This is a theory...😂

[@whyyouhere4039]

@@MrJJBhizzle a game the...

[@happyfakeboulder644]

"You must hug your potatoes so that they know that you care." -- Kevin, 2018

[@vairus3477]

i heard that exactly when i read the comment😐

[@potatoeguy5690]

True

[@sushmaberlia9881]

Search on KZbin how potatoes saved the world

[@lakurkuma8113]

2017*

[@lakurkuma8113]

@Rafal رفل from mobile It shows 3 years ago

[@shotbyp4ul]

Newborns are 15% away from being soup.

[@SubscriberswithoutanyVid-rg7oh]

Supscribe 4 if you are creative enough that can be 100% easy

[@humanatee6639]

🙁🤢🤮

[@annoyedredhead3151]

@@humanatee6639 it's the internet get over it

[@sava28]

r/cursedcomments

[@man4437]

0% after a good blendin'

[@TierZoo]

I always hug my potatoes so that they know I care

[@lucafrancis3222]

TierZoo I heard this will also give you a boost in the happiness stat.

[@jackstone112]

TierZoo please do the vegetable meta!

[@MRFAFF3L]

Need a witty comment so I can be noticed by two senpai's at once... Damn!

[@PolyChromium]

What tier are potatoes? I mean, they can clone, which did lead to the great Irish Potato Famine of [insert year] (yes, this is a real thing that lead to the starvation of thousands of Irish), but they can withstand the cold pretty well. Heck, why not make a tier list for all root vegetals, or all of the well known vegetales?

[@YouSwellow]

Incoming Potato buffs confirmed

[@tiny021085]

Easier way to explain this. 100lbs and 1% is solid matter. So that's 1lb solid matter. They dry out and now it's 2% solid matter. But still only 1lb. And if 1lb is 2% of the total weight, then the total weight must be 50lb. You don't even have to do the water % math this way to get the same result.

[@misheck3861]

You see I was looking for a Siple answer and this explains it properly. I totally understand this concept bet the dude in the video doesn't know how to describe what he is say. If you can't described something in a simple manner you do not understand it well. Thanks for the comment helped a lot.

[@mimszanadunstedt441]

Its because 2% is a wrong assumption. Guess thats why he circled wrong repeatedly. In which case whats the point of this video, to prevent ppl from making mistakes? People will click-off the video. Then next video he makes is a video on paradox also, because, what, you think the audience didn't get the paradox? Maybe its on you kevin maybe its on you.

[@kumbu132]

@@misheck3861 yeh

[@ElleryPayne]

I am glad the dude is trying to help people understand math in a way, but this is not how you explain the analytics of solving this problem. Might as well watch TedEd instead of these videos. The value of this 10 minute long video is equal or if not then less than the value of your comment.

[@allennaliath2477]

Exactly. I got 50lbs, and people who’ve taken an Algebra course should get this as well. Not remotely close to a paradox.

[@ErikDaGreat]

Someone: right? Vsauce: *_WRONG_*

[@theabyssaldemon]

Erik *proceeds to circle wrong with a sharpie*

[@Catboy34uwu]

This is the requirement to become a Vsauce

[@ibrahimali3192]

i know this is off topic but i lost the game

[@Joe-ts1cb]

I'm the 1000th person to like this comment.

[@chriscj9007]

The Vsauce paradox: Whenever Vsauce says Right?, It is always wrong.

[@NbaYoungboylover]

What if he says "I am wrong,Right?"

[@eseopu]

2:48

[@light_asaii4858]

OR IS IT

[@skarma9673]

It always is... wrong! It’s always wrong unless it isn’t... sometimes, it’s rare but it’s right!

[@ezip8564]

Waiter: soup or salad? Kevin: *yes*

[@crabbiejason7261]

Thank you for blessing me with this comment

[@ZoneEEEEEEEEEEEE]

*W R O N G*

[@ayeariola]

Super salad

[@jackherrod2294]

Boolean Logic strikes again

[@kaathlynconnor261]

I have a feeling someone is going to get r/woooshed here

[@azurepelletier1574]

“What’s more water than watermelon?” Me: water. “LETTUCE” Me: oh. Right

[@alltheaudios3162]

Caliesto pelletier umm u stole my comment Dk if it was intentional but still...

[@theblackknight101]

Its not stealing if its unintentional

[@alltheaudios3162]

TheBlackKnight101 of course. My bad.

[@sylver8919]

You’re not wrong tho

[@danik0011]

So salad have most water %. Right? WRONG! CUCUMBERS ARE 96% WATER

[@milothedinosaur2911]

Jesus can walk on water, I can walk on Lettuce, Lettuce is 95% water, I am 95% Jesus

[@Kusogacha]

Jesus can walk on water I can walk on ice Ice is 100% water I am Jesus

[@kisdoboz]

XCaSurge Gaming Are you serious?!

[@wurttmapper2200]

Roses are red Violets are blue You are affirming the consequent And I will do that too Apples are 100% red But apples aren't roses This fallacy makes me blue

[@wurttmapper2200]

Jesus turned water into wine You can turn water into water wine is 85% water You are 85% Jesus Buddha ate bread You eat bread bread is 100% bread You are 100% Buddha Mohammed Ali breathed air air is 100% electrons, protons and neutrons You can post fallacious arguments in KZbin comments using your keyboard Your keyboard is 100% atoms, neutrons and electrons You are Mohammed Ali This is not a sentence The sentence I wrote above is false This is not a paradox I like potatoes You like potatoes You are not a sentence You are false You are a potato

[@ppoppo009]

Wurtt Mapper beautiful

[@QuantumBraced]

The potato paradox is how my 10-year old PC can still play modern games...

[@AMan-xz7tx]

I just spat out my coffee 🤣

[@screebok]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha I get it it's because your computer is a potatoe from Ireland

[@silviuchitic162]

maybe you should change your VGA display.

[@usernametaken017]

Slavism is bad. #potatoslifesmatter

[@scottb9997]

How is your 13 year old pc now

[@axelvdp1]

But steel is heavier than feathers

[@Blox117]

not under zero-g

[@benm12310]

1 pound of air is heavier than half a pound of steel

[@darkdragon2087]

You should have wright BuT stEeL iS heAVieR ThaN FEathEr

[@lukeives7396]

What about the weight of what you did to all those birds...

[@morgotp5573]

@@lukeives7396 comment stealer

[@DG-ov6ps]

*but 1+1 is 2 RIGHT? ‘WrOoOnG’*

[@zabooka]

1 + 1 = 3! #truereasonableness

[@farenhite4329]

2+2=5

[@deniscelianov7932]

I'll prove that 1+1=3 You thought it's possible huh?

[@longjohnw86]

It is possible..one woman plus one man (have sex and have baby) =3

[@kharkovluzhin8333]

@@deniscelianov7932 Let a = b That mean a^2=a*b That mean that a^2-b^2=a*b-b^2 That mean we get (a-b)*(a+b)=b*(a-b) Remove a-b we get: a+b = b But because a = b That mean 2b = b => 2=1 That mean 1+1=3 is right

[@unboiledegg5765]

“You must hug your potatoes so that they know that you care”- Kevin, from Vsauce2

[@chrisbrown7862]

Unboiled Egg I

[@slayer4810]

I have a good habit always reading the comment at the time he says it

[@LoLorelando]

The one that fell off must think he doesn't care :(

[@WaveOfDestiny]

"I'm how to basic" Kevin, from vsauce 2

[@teagueshelton7716]

I was the 666th like

[@ellacasey7303]

*Goes to restaurant* Waiter "What would you like to drink" Me "Lettuce"

[@wesleyboyer6654]

You made Mr. Potato Head stand in the corpses of his friends. He had the thousand yard stare going on.

[@lemonwithalime]

Wesley Boyer is it true that pain is beauty?

[@wesleyboyer6654]

Maybe gravy in this case.

[@FailedRorschachTest]

Taters aren't dead

[@havenosmellleavenoname382]

I watched 2 wwii iwo jima videos right before this vsass

[@Turquoise-Official]

Kevin: We are humans right? Me: Rig- Kevin: *WRONG*

[@-wingsofwasp-]

WHY WOULD YOU SAY RIGHT-- OH HELLO FELLOW HUMAN HA HA HA

[@zejdland]

@@-wingsofwasp- hellof fellow human Ha Ha HA funny joke It is such a meme HA HA •_•_ _ _ _•••_ _ _ _

[@-wingsofwasp-]

@@zejdland Is that supposed to be morse code?

[@-wingsofwasp-]

@@zejdland Well, there aren't any spaces...

[@polk-e-dot8177]

no we are dancers

[@keymasher08]

I had to double check it wasn't April 1st half way through this video

[@graalcloud]

Me too. This video was so bad

[@Howuf]

John Redcorn Thought the same thing.

[@uniteddetinu7750]

The sound of your marker scraping against your paper hurts my teeth. I can't explain why, but it does.

[@russnotgus3803]

I know what you mean lol. Glad I'm not the only one

[@spoonkey]

It gives me goosebumps

[@6ohflip]

All of you have a serious mental illness and should probably see a doctor.

[@EternalWithin]

I thought I was weird

[@Cherryfish386]

Wow that’s very specific

[@X-SPONGED]

Kevin : "You must hug your potatoes to show that you care" [3:26] _As a person who has gone to Ireland for vacation twice, I can confirm this is why the potatoes there are so high quality_

[@marin7615]

The paradox lays in the way the question is asked, confusing between percentages and quantities. By removing 1 part of water out of 99, the solid goes from 1% to 1,01% and not 2%, while the water goes from 99% to 98,99%. How much water do you need to remove to get the solid become 2%? Way easier to understand.

[@apreviousseagle836]

Ah hah! thank you!

[@HostLT]

Thank you. What he said confused me only...

[@drunkenmuse]

But it _is_ based on a misunderstanding. If it was presented as "you have 1 red ball and 99 yellow balls, how many yellow balls would you have to remove for the red ball to be 2 percent of the balls?" most people would not have a problem with this.

[@MajorLawliet]

But... That's not the point.

[@alexchief2317]

yeah this guy seems to enjoy developing videos in a manner that is difficult to comprehend. Your analogy made it much easier to grasp.

[@MajorLawliet]

That is STILL not the point, so I am really unsure if people got the point about this being a Paradox.

[@drunkenmuse]

I haven't said anything about it being or not being a paradox? However, the reason for it being one is _misunderstanding_ , although he specifically states in the video that it isn't (7:20 mark). While the "problem" has a true answer easy to calculate, the factors are presented in a confusing way which is resulting in a veridical paradox. Ie, it's made to be misunderstood. I suspect you misunderstood the point of my original comment, so I'm not sure what point your replies are refering to.

[@drunkenmuse]

It's the same analogy as the silver potato really, but he is explaining it in a pretty roundabout manner when presenting the solution.

[@ryanhoffman4079]

Well think about this... Cheese has holes More cheese=more holes More holes=less cheese More cheese=less cheese 🤯 🧀

[@HunterHM1489]

Perfect analogy for this sorry excuse of a “paradox”

[@mollowrie5264]

A larger block of cheese still has a greater mass than the smaller block so therefore you don’t get less cheese. The mass is based off actual solid cheese and not the holes.

[@PrgressiveHouse]

Classic

[@CodeKiller1999]

The important point (like in the video) is the % of solid, not the total weight. So more cheese in mass does not change the percentage of solid in the cheese. You still have the same amount of cheese, if you take the % of the volume. So it is a paradox if you choose to use the % instead of the real weight.

[@ichigo_miruku_qt843]

Ry Gui woah

[@Glac0]

You're the only vsauce that actually uploads

[@vonhousin4179]

not true, micheal uploads on dong still

[@scruf2002]

VonHousin is that vsauce. no

[@vonhousin4179]

vsauce actually has a lot of good content on it as well. you just have to pay to watch it.

[@WeArePharmers]

it's too bad they went to that format, vsauce used to be one of my favorite channels

[@coolGhostVIRUS]

Is this VSause? Imo Michaels latest video on DONG is way more informative than this. This is like talks 5 minutes about simple mathematical equation.

[@benaronson2410]

2:29 "probably broke the scale" me every day when i stand on my scale

[@NoName-kj2vf]

5:55 ... THAT ONE POTATO

[@sideswipebl]

"You must hug your potatoes, so that they know that you care." - Vsauce2, 2018

[@cooleslaw]

"Excuse me potatoes." -Vsauce2, 2018

[@epicstimulus282]

Lol

[@tryphonunzouave8384]

lol the exact same comment from one day after this one was liked, not this one, although they are just one below the other, GET REKT

[@marcysoucy9522]

*YOU MUST HUG YOUR POTATOES!*

[@taylorjackson6091]

Idk why, but I felt that

[@jamesgors6650]

So that they know you care

[@officerskull2089]

A true Irishman would always do that.

[@gavinbrown216]

I LOVE FRENCH FRIES!!!

[@kaylenburns5180]

You must hug your potatoes so they know you care

[@notlawatnotlimbu7874]

2:50when hes circling "wrong" some one needs to make that into a gif!

[@hairohukosu433]

Vsauce is just meme gold

[@Bonzane]

If someone links this please post it here

[@teubert2]

@ לביא גלזמן I don't think anybody thought he would do it himself XD Thanks~!

[@epicstimulus282]

Will do

[@londonerdanny]

I feel like he's explaining two separate concepts. First is :- What would be left after 1% evaporates? Removing 1% of 100 lb which would leave almost 99 lb. [Depending if it were by weight or by volume] Second is:- Doubling the solid content from 1% to 2% which would equate to removing 50% of the water content. Those are two separate things.

[@itismethatguy]

The solid content did not double. The water content just halved

[@uweschroeder]

@@itismethatguy No, the water content didn't half nor did the solid content double. The assumption that losing 1% of water results in 2% of the total being solids is simply wrong.

[@yongmrchen]

@@uweschroeder This isn’t an assumption at all. Losing weight from 99% of water for 100 lb to 98% of water entails that the total weight on which the 98% water is obtained must be decreased to 50 lb, namely, solid accounts for 2% of weight, still 1 lb, and water must be 49 lb now.

[@uweschroeder]

@@yongmrchen So assume you weigh 100kg, 1% of which are solids. So it's 99kg of water and 1 kg of solids. Now you take a laxative and expel 1% of the water, that is about 990grams of water. That does not mean that the solids are suddenly 1.9kg, because you don't weigh 100kg anymore. So doing the "it's suddenly 2% solids" is nothing but a percentage calculation that has no base in reality, because the new 100% of which to base your solids content is less than the 100kg. By the end of the day, what you do is increase the solids concentration, so you mess with the mixture but one percent of 99% is still 0.99% and not 50% PS: What you assume is that the ratio of solids to water remains constant, but that isn't the case or dehydration wouldn't work.

[@yongmrchen]

@uweschroeder Actually, I think you totally misunderstood what the key information in the so-called paradox but not-a-paradox-at-all case. The decrease in the potato weight that is measured, and entirely caused, by the decresae of water from the original 99% of total weight to the current 98% of total weight (this can only happen when you end up having 49 lb water and 1 lb solid, and solid remains unchanged) is NOT the same as the water that decreases from 99% of the water to the 98% of the water. If the question itself may not be so clear, the explanation in the video is crystal clear.

[@arya6085]

Not a paradox at all. Similar to most of these paradox videos. Like 1% of these videos are actual paradox videos. The rest are just 5% away from being soup.

[@HunterHM1489]

Arya Khonsari, you win one internet! 👍

[@phuturephunk]

A soup that you could reconfigure into the Sun if you bring Banach-Tarski into play.

[@whatno5090]

This is a real paradox though

[@leondong5037]

It really isn't . When a potato drys up it loses 1% of its water the potato consequently loses some of its weight. Why would you take away the 1% of water and add 1% of the potato solids? the water doesn't become a solid it just goes away and the rest of the 99% of the potato would become the new 100% as the 1% of the water that has dried up is no longer part of the potato.

[@slappomatthew]

exactly. entertaining video but the premise is completely wrong. you lose 1% of 99# of water so you are left with 1# of mass still, and 1% less water. or 98.1# total. I have no idea were he came up with the rest of his nonsense.

[@thexsoar]

Seems less a paradox and more of a question poorly asked.

[@erikjaldell9568]

Thexsoar the Bearded rather a question poorly answered

[@StefanTravis]

It's a veridical paradox - a surprising but true answer. A poorly asked question is a paradox of vagueness, which would be a type of falsidical paradox.

[@besitzerer]

Yes... If you say "1% OF the water evaporates over night" than you don't have the shown outcome.... So from 100 water molecules 99 would be left. It's a question of what you look at....

[@bobveltman]

true.

[@akalaiderxd9686]

No, it's just your brain taking the fast way. Every body does it if the answer seem simple.

[@Grubiantoll]

the real paradox is that, this simple math problem is called a paradox

[@theatom3936]

Well that could be explained with a scale...

[@sunflowertara7047]

Watch his video and you'll know.

[@aaronmicalowe]

Grubiantoll I don't think people got your joke.

[@chasemarangu]

+Aaron Lowe thanks now I get that it was a joke and that you werent joking that it was and I also get the joke itself because I reread the original comment

[@chasemarangu]

+Grubiantoll my definition of paradox is "a question which is unanswerable due not to a lack of information but rather the nature of the question itself" Examples of things which are _almost_ paradoxes: - This statement is false. (because the paradox is "is the statement true or false?") - I always lie. (because same as the one before and also, not always lying is not necessarily never lying) - The Fermi Paradox (because really we are just lacking in information) - x=1+x what is x? (because x=1+1+1+⋯=∞ using recursive substitution) - What does the fox say? (becaause really we are just lacking in information) - What other paradoxes are there? (because really we are just lacking in information, JK this one is not even remotely a paradox)

[@astra00700]

"What's more water than watermelon?" Uh... Water? "Lettuce" Oh

[@mr.mcawesome1154]

1% = 1/100 2%= 1/50 Makes sense to me bucko

[@demenetori7976]

1% = 1/100 2% = 1/50 or 2/100 I really hope you were joking but if not,then oh boy

[@jamusphillips368]

@@demenetori7976 He's not. 1 pound of potato material remains after dehydration. So you can just ask yourself "1 pound of potato material is 2% of how many total potato pounds?" to answer the question. 1 pound is 2% of 50 pounds since 1/50 equals .02. Although 1/50 is equivalent to 2/100, in this example 2/100 would be for a different potato, since our potato still only has 1 pound of potato material not 2. These potatoes are however similar (as in, similar triangles from geometry class).

[@hgmercury7279]

@@demenetori7976 you got wooshed on a "joke" but it wasn't a joke (it's fact) but it has "joke" material and yeah you arn't totally wrong (2%= 1/50 or 2/100) but he said potato dried not grow more potato stuff so you are kinda wrong you did got your fact right but you didnt got what he ment so i call this woooshed on a non-joke

[@BurgoYT]

Mr. McAwesome 1/50 is literally 1/100 x 2....

[@KineticManiac]

@@demenetori7976 What he said is literally the explanation in a nutshell.

[@Tcg8136]

Easier solution with easier presentation: "1 lbs in 100 lbs = 1% " --> "1 lbs in ? lbs =2%"

[@kiantamar]

He misleadingly made a very simple question and *twisted* it to make it look more complicated. That's the *opposite* of what an *educator* is supposed to do!

[@BrennanKoontz]

But why pounds? Its amazing how adding pounds helps your brain understand it but others would rather imagine potatos...

[@ca7surfer]

I honestly have no idea what you are saying with this. I like how he explained it more

[@SuperCommenterGuy]

Dale Crane it’s the same answer as the video 1 / 100 = .01 or 1% and 1 / x = .02 or 2% x = 50 he made it very complicated

[@uncledavid5344]

Well it wouldn’t be a paradox if he made it simple. Because vsauce doesn’t know what a paradox is.

[@ZakJames]

This doesn’t feel like a Vsause episode.

[@dunnokki]

It is indeed different from the others. Kevin's videos are sometimes goofy and funny, sometimes they give you the goose bumps for making you feel the gravity of this universe (haha). This was definitely a goofy one.

[@sparkpenguin]

c'mon guys we got Shona, it at least /sounded/ like a vsauce episode lol

[@paulanderegg5536]

I feel betrayed...this was just a "trick question" episode. :(

[@dolantremp]

I mean yeah it's a little different from a "traditional" vsauce video but the personality is the same and nevertheless it was still quite an interesting topic and explanation.

[@Allanbr2012]

It's basic math + misleading information. Leaving it out "overnight" to dry a little is not an appropriate way to increase the concentration of solids by 100%.

[@szczur0192]

"Excuse me potatoes" -My teacher to my class

[@HenryFlores4]

Haven't watched any vSauce content in years. Today I was curious and watched this video. Yep, he has gone insane...

[@vnleao]

Don’t worry, it’s just small potatoes

[@-mae-5524]

Henry Flores yes

[@J1428753]

...so did the video title "Should You Eat Yourself?" not tip you off?

[@HenryFlores4]

J1428753 Like I said, haven't watched any vSauce (1,2 or 3) content of any kind in years. Last I remember Kevin was with a beanie.

[@VexinatorDesigns]

The problem is the *98% and 2%* measurements of the potato, after a night has passed, *are percentages of the new potato,* not the original... let me explain: If the potato is 100kg and 1% of that weight is solid, then the solid obviously weighs 1kg and the water weighs 99kg. Then you take away 1% of the weight, in water, and you are left with 98kg of water, and still 1kg of the solid. Thus the potato *does weigh 99kg.* The error is in saying the unchanged solid is then 2% of the potato's total weight. If the solid (1kg) was 2% of the potato, then yes, it would weigh 50kg in total. *But you wouldn't presume this is the case, the way he describes it.* 1kg, after the removal of some of the water actually accounts for 1/99 or ~1.0101%. Hopefully this clears it up for some people :) And yes, I know I used kg, but it doesn't make a difference as we are discussing percentages and unspecified measurements, also I'm not sure what the abbreviation for pounds is, or really how they work at all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@enverko]

VexinatorDesigns Kevin used it in the video, it's : "lb"

[@hgc839]

VexinatorDesigns I highly appreciate the clarification of to which I couldn’t understand prior to this comment and I thank thee. Note; Especially that part where you said that 2% of the unchanged solid is still 1kg Another Note: Pounds is Lbs or lbs

[@jamesplays8113]

VexinatorDesigns thanks for commenting this so i didnt have to. Also pounds is abreviated as lb or lbs That is el be or el be ess

[@nicat6153]

Thanks, now it makes sense. So this was more of a trick question than a paradox :\

[@VexinatorDesigns]

Nicat Memmedov yeah, definately agree

[@5avan10]

The opposite of this is telling people that one drink a day doubles your risk of throat cancer. Okay, so instead of the risk being like 1 in 1,000 it's closer to 2 in 1,000. That's an increase of only 0.1% of the sample size, but it's still a 100% increase in throat cancer risk. (Not the actual risk assessment figures; just numbers used as a hypothetical example)

[@b1aflatoxin]

Oh man! What u wrote clicked with me instantly! I thought I was going crazy while watching this, and worse yet, feeling disillusioned with it all. So thank you. :)

[@DeathBringer769]

Good point.

[@chillsahoy2640]

Which is why one should always ask "Is this relative risk?" when newspaper headlines make the shocking claim that X increases your risk of cancer (or dementia, or heart disease, or some other harm) by 80%.

[@Layk35]

Which is why the news uses this all the time to shock people.

[@Layk35]

Oh dang, gotta check the replies before I comment. Good thing I'm not the only one tired of this

[@Psychonaut165]

This was like the least paradoxical paradox I’ve ever encountered

[@Ethanerd]

"Potatoes Are Delicious!" -Colorado Potato Beetles, 1811

[@ArticBlueFox96]

This is much easier if you just represent things as fractions instead of in percents. 1% is 1 out 100. 2% is 1 out of 50. 100 - 50 = 50

[@yaaniz1337]

Wait... so 1% of the water = 50% of the total weight of the potato. How can 1% of anything equal 50% of the same thing. *mind explodes*

[@sadplane6814]

Wrong, % = percent = per 100 so 2% isnt 1 out of 50 Umm.. wait.. Uh it kinda is i guess..

[@Simte]

The howtobasic paradox.

[@theblackswordsman7558]

Simte is he really how to basic???

[@Despotic_Waffle]

The Black Swordsman I am Howtobasic

[@theearthisahexagon6534]

The Black Swordsman yes

[@mytebello]

No I'm Howtobasic

[@bigheccinrat4061]

IM HOWTOBASIC

[@hmmmmm8716]

7:03 yo my dude kevin is a damn robot he just picked up the pen prefectly without looking away from the camera

[@georgequilitz8530]

Person A: Hey, want some salad? Person B: ...That's a water bottle. Person A: Eh, close enough.

[@Extrafun-z9z]

If it's looked at step by step percentage reduction, it is easy to see why it is not a paradox. 99 + 1 = 100 (99% water) 98 + 1 = 99 (98/99 = 98.98% water) 97 + 1 = 98 (97/98 = 98.87% water) . . 50 + 1 = 51 (50/51 = 98.03% water) 49 + 1 = 50 (49/50 = 98% water)

[@Marispider]

He literally said in the video that not all paradoxes have no clear answer. Feel free to search up the definitions of paradox. Since many see the progression of 1 to 2 as 1+1 rather than 1*2, many get a wrong answer at first, therefore it is a paradox. It's _kind_ of like, "the more you cut at a net, the fewer holes there will be" or, "the more you remove from a hole, the larger it is." It's completely logical, but it may seem illogical at first.

[@21guitarworld]

I love it how you can watch each vsauce channel goes insane. It's quite beautiful

[@lavihayoun05]

The way this is phrased makes you think 1% of the water evaporated, and not the 1% switching sides.

[@digitalchrome]

I think he is slowly turning crazy. (Which is a good thing)

[@Chribit]

goals.

[@sarunassimbelis1331]

Into vsauce 1

[@shatteredgod69]

"Too much water" -IGN

[@jochemfliervoet1714]

Im so glad i get this

[@ToneyCrimson]

Mudkip?

[@tonyhoang987]

7.8/10

[@VOYAGEUR-YT]

Jochem Fliervoet Ya it's from their review of Battletoads for the Wii

[@JadeMythriil]

RealGamerManz And more recently their review on Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire remakes.

[@tansan143]

Hey kevin! A simple way to explain it is that. The 1% of solid potato is equal to 1lbs. Since the weight of the solid doesn’t change, only its proportion to its weight in which it becomes 2%. So 1lbs / 2% = 50lbs Therefore 50lbs less 1lbs of solid is equal to 49 which apparently the weight of the water. Flies away..

[@thegriefer123456]

tansan143 I

[@Tethloach1]

so basically he has to trick people into making himself look smart.

[@KingofGermanic]

@Tethlocah1 basically. It's like when people call water Di-hydrogen Monoxide. You make something simple appear over complicated in order to be validated by society.

[@matthewloftus7389]

tansan143 ya well said, I just went algebra on it and it was so easy to understand.

[@TheAnantaSesa]

Excellent. And 50lbs of water 6.25gal) wont be evaporating overnight!

[@finallylegal2125]

This “paradox” was one of the heuristics taught in grade 6 math class. Not really that confusing once you finish elementary school

[@ShmazProducts]

This is not a paradox... It's just math.

[@speedy01247]

the paradox is not in the math, but in the way people get it wrong.

[@thecommenter9726]

speedy01247 People only get it wrong because it's not realistic

[@Ali107]

Quick mafs!

[@havardmj]

people getting it wrong doesn't make it a paradox

[@ericreeves4]

Jesus, I think everyone one at Vsauce is losing their damn minds.

[@ericreeves4]

each video, they act crazier and crazier, but still with the spit facts.

[@AngryKittens]

Stopped watching any VSauce video since they've slowly spiraled into non sequitur madness. The old videos were weird, but they made sense. These on the other hand...

[@SSilivone]

After gaining a certain amount of insight, you begin sinking into madness.

[@christianmorales8978]

How does this not make sense it is so simple. Plus just because they made one video that isn't that wierd compared to others doesn't mean that they just quit making interesting videos.

[@BlueRock704]

Agreed, tis the holy grail

[@AlrycaAeveaHexendias]

2% is not 1% higher than 1% but 100% higher. This means 1% is not 1% less than 2% but 50% less. Edit: changed 200% to 100%, sorry about that.

[@masteroba4388]

no lt's 100% higher then 1%. cuz (1% is 100% of 1%) and (2% is 200% of 1%) so (200%-100% = 100%.)

[@ChristianMartinez-it6sj]

John Apawan I hope you know that 200% is the same thing as 100%

[@youtubehandlesareridiculous]

2% is 200% of 1%. But it is 100% greater than 1%.

[@zapador]

Truth. This guy has no clue how to do math. I don't understand how there's 29K upvotes and 4K downvotes... Should clearly be the other way around as this is about as flawed as it can get. If he said that 1% to 2% is a change of 1 percentage point he would be right, but he doesn't say that. How does the solids suddenly change from 1% to 2%? No explanation for that is given o.O Clearly if 99% (99 kg) is water and 1% (1 kg) is solids then if 1% of the water evaporates that leaves 99 - (99 * 0.01) = 98.01 kg water and the same 1 kg solids as before, a total of 99.01 kg is left after one night. So the composition is now 1 / 99.01 = 1.0099% solids and 98.01 / 99.01 = 98.9900% water (both results rounded to 4 decimals).

[@ryanmclaughlin9041]

John Apawan I'm gonna just pretend I understood that

[@sumdude3445]

I’m a couch potato, eating potato chips, while watching this on a potato phone, on a potato farm.

[@unclecreepy4185]

Where are the potato bugs?

[@Someone-cr8cj]

You know what has a higher concentration of water? Water

[@theraytech54]

But not every water

[@Eclipsed_Archon]

water you talking about? (sorry, I'll go now)

[@violetrose415]

👏👏👏

[@davidfoster5561]

I prefer dihydrogen oxide.

[@zues121510]

I was thinking that too loo

[@chrisforreal420]

But what's more watery than lettuce... WATEr it is about %100 water

[@alexchief2317]

TheDeepDebunk damn ur right water is about 100% water. Or... is it? (Vsauce theme)

[@sickcatboy7745]

WRONG

[@Niiue]

Rellek Llepham WATER IS MADE FROM OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN.... but what is hydrogen?

[@sickcatboy7745]

Actually I mean that usually water contains other matter if it is not distilled)

[@lalleahrahre616]

About bot exactly rellek...so u r WRONG

[@militantpacifist4087]

4:27 7.8/10-IGN

[@RealGMoneyCracka]

Lol

[@zeldafreak2232]

Militant Pacifist Best comment here

[@adamlord]

It's amazing that this joke still exists outside of IGN. Still funny

[@hereyncecabrera5519]

I get the reference! Pokemon

[@hejmeddig5829]

Militant Pacifist o

[@cosmicpotato3849]

Someone put that in a T-Shirt Salads are 5% away from being soup

[@NStripleseven]

Cosmic Potato YES! Someone please do that!

[@ChronicSkater]

@@elliotthill7008 great idea front logo Right? Back of tee WRONG!

[@mynameisworld]

Since when is soup 100% water?

[@maahinifuria7857]

this should be kevin’s merchandise

[@ourochroma]

Who would win? 100 Potatoes or One Smart Boi

[@anilpanchal7315]

Smart boi, or will he?🤪

[@plasmaballin]

This is only a paradox if you're bad at math.

[@dpsingh_287]

And by *bad* you mean *really really really really really bad* right ?

[@soos3685]

Agreed. First VSauce video I've disliked

[@adamlea6339]

It's not really a paradox, it is more a mind trick where the instinctive response by the brain is wrong, because the brain prefers to take instinctive short cuts than expend energy working things out properly. To over-ride this instinctive reaction, it helps to understand what a percentage actually means, once you realise it is a fraction, then you can think how do you double or halve a fraction by operating on the numerator or denominator, then you get to the logical answer.

[@plasmaballin]

Adam Lea I would agree. It's not a paradox because it's not counterintuitive. Once you do the math, the result isn't at all confusing or even surprising. However, our heuristics cause us to think of thd wrong answer right away before doing the math.

[@Trias805]

The word "paradox" itself implies that you're not using math, but common sense or intuition. And by that it's a paradox. Or at least a surprising and counter-intuitive answer.

[@benc176]

Brain.exe has stopped working

[@AMan-xz7tx]

Your computer is a godamn potato, thats the solution to your application crash issue... I'll see myself out now.

[@terrrrrrrrrrrrrrry]

I've got bad news for ya, unless you're

[@bobbiesterling574]

*some seemingly rhetorical question* kevin: WRONG!

[@noobguitarguy]

im disturbed that you dont round up that 98%

[@ChristianMartinez-it6sj]

DMPhysics Right?! But i think it was because we were using physical objects and not just numbers. When it comes to real objects, rounding down to the nearest whole number makes more sense. You can't bring 9 and a half cars to the carmeet.

[@noobguitarguy]

Christian Martinez ah yes you’re completely right . I wasn’t even thinking !

[@Iamonepercent]

+Christian Martinez yes you can, it is called a "smart" car or a fiat 500

[@garystinten9339]

Iamonepercent wrong.. because a fiat 500 or a smart car are considered cars and no known constant is labelled to a cars value (ie, length width height and weight)..

[@noobguitarguy]

Gary Stinten I appreciate that people are taking this very seriously .

[@maa6471]

love the way he breaks into laughter by himself like a mad scientist

[@Skelyvelocirap]

when you find out that salad is 95% soup

[@joshuakerger2897]

Skelyvelocirap which would mean that soup is how much % water? Soup is a drink.

[@mynameisworld]

Since when is soup 100% water?

[@numbdigger9552]

@@mynameisworld in my school it is

[@david_ga8490]

0:58 That music = *50% Stranger Things Intro + 50% Electrodynamix*

[@shuriken188]

I think the way you worded it was unclear. You said pretty much "what if it loses 1% of its water?" 1% of its 99 grams of water is roughly 1 gram of water. What I think would have been more accurate is: "what if its ratio of water to solid material went down by 1%?" Anyway, pretty cool paradox.

[@duramax78]

This is exactly why it made no sense the way he said it, thank you.

[@leilazacharias9730]

who said it was 99 grams of water in the first place? it was 99% water and 1% solid but the 1% solid might weigh way less than 1 gram and therefore 99% water could weigh 99.5 grams for example

[@shuriken188]

I believe he was saying that the potato was 100 grams and 1% of that weight was solid matter

[@leilazacharias9730]

J. Villeneuve please just completely disregard my comment, i don‘t know what type of extrinsic logic i made use of, must have been on drugs but my brain is back now

[@blazingfire7517]

You just don't understand the word "percent"?

[@Stephenmusic92]

Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew.

[@IvarHuisman]

Whats taters eh?

[@AllenGrimm1145]

It sounds like your potatoes need a hug.

[@graemepatterson]

bird's eye potato waaaaaffles

[@JavierFernandez01]

Peace & Love slice super thin and make a nice caserol too. Chives. Cheese. Boom.

[@josephweaver8545]

Make vodka out of them

[@catsoften]

this feels like more of a trick question than a paradox

[@futurestoryteller]

Paradox: "A statement that is *_seemingly_* contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true"

[@futurestoryteller]

Now I have to question your reading comprehension skills.

[@futurestoryteller]

Ironically - if you think so... you're ignorant.

[@DevinDTV]

It's not a paradox because the answer to the question is immediately apparent and completely intuitive. The dry mass doubled in proportion so the total mass must have dropped in half. If you didn't figure it out in under a second you're probably brain damaged.

[@futurestoryteller]

People like you are intellectual clowns.

[@xenongd6974]

I like how's he's trying to sound so serious while Talkin about potatoes

[@TheLocalJesusGirl]

Same here

[@plxton]

I have no idea what I just watched but I feel the pain of those potatoes, they just wanna be cut, mashed, fried, layered turned into clocks... anything... potatoes are magical and their potential is being wasted

[@Valandar2]

Wait... I thought the 50 lb answer was the obvious one, and was wondering where the paradox was... The water is what goes away, so the solid is what remains. The solid percentage doubles, so the mass cuts in half.

[@ANunes06]

Yep. Not sure what I was supposed to get out of this. And since I didn't see it yet, solving this in a purely algebraic way: concentration = mass of concentrate/total mass. 98% water concentration = [mass of water]/([mass of water + mass of solids]) .98=X/(X+1) .98X + .98 = X .98 = .02X 98 = 2X 49 = X Total mass = 49 lbs water + 1 lb solid = 50 lbs. Basically anyone over the age of 16 should not find this paradoxical in the least...

[@travisvermaak]

You're not alone there man. Was waiting for a kicker, but nope.

[@brandaustin]

Yeah its basically how do fractions work the video....

[@gualo21]

Valandar2 r/Imverysmart

[@ML-iw9zg]

Sorry, I was born before this kind of math(s) was invented. Our dinosaurs never had a chance to dry out, we just tore them up and ate 'em straight away!

[@Jack-zi3hq]

To turn vegetables to people, you need an old toy. To turn people to vegetables, you need a high impact collision.

[@MurriciTerceiro]

Jack Young pesadãããão!!!

[@User-jr7vf]

To turn toys into vegetables you need a toy story; to turn people into vegetables you need a human story

[@johnwalthall4937]

To vegetables people to toy turn, you old an need. To toy turn people to vegetables, you collision a need.

[@Meinstein]

Referring to his Mr. Potato Head of course. Clever.

[@Foxxey]

2:54 it's so unsatisfying that he didn't say "wrong"

[@tommyl.9669]

Potatoes are made out of 1% solid and 99% water. So the question .. God can walk on water and I can walk on potatoes so does that mean that I'm 99% God?

[@ND7226]

Dole crash Poudin I can walk on lettuce

[@PV-po6zt]

Heart Net shh

[@heartnet5514]

Anonymous Someone what r u scared?

[@PV-po6zt]

Heart Net No, you're just ruining the joke

[@heartnet5514]

Maybe

[@dillonaumiller]

Poorly stated problems are not paradoxes.

[@MegaCuber123]

Not poorly stated, just counterintuitive.

[@Ethereal1610]

It's a veridical paradox - a surprising but true answer. A poorly asked question is a paradox of vagueness, which would be a type of falsidical paradox.

[@Eclipsed_Archon]

A veridical paradox isn't a paradox, that's a misnomer. This question isn't a paradox, simple as that.

[@Eclipsed_Archon]

and in case of debate: Paradox, noun "a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true." A paradox must be self-contradictory, even if only apparently so, but the logic used to support this supposed "paradox" is flawed, not well founded nor logically acceptable, therefore, this is in fact not a paradox.

[@raymondhoovers5460]

EclipsedArchon "Paradox, noun " a SEEMINGLY absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition [...]" A paradox MUST be self-contradictory [...]". Nice logic you got there.

[@CamaroRick]

I film with a potato

[@100000reproducciones]

Camaro Rick my life is potato

[@EVRLYNMedia]

me too

[@havenosmellleavenoname382]

A tooth brush should fix that right up :D

[@bananya6020]

sooooo do you really make videos?

[@EVRLYNMedia]

i do

[@versatilejams]

This was more of a trick question than a paradox. If it had been proposed or asked differently, many would have got it instantly. I was unnecessarily trying to figure out how this was a paradox than doing a basic math problem.

[@MrBaumGeo]

Its a paradox look it up

[@TasTheWatcher]

99 lb water + 1 lb solid = 100 lb potato 99% + 1 % = 100% Assume solid lb is constant Percentage equation: (solid lb / potato lb) * 100 = % solid Initial conditions: (1 lb / 100 lb) * 100 = 1 % New condition: (1 lb / ? lb) * 100 = 2 % Rearranging: 1 lb / ? lb = 2 % / 100 ? lb / 1 lb = 100 / 2 % = 50 49 lb water + 1 lb solid = 50 lb potato Or, 1 is 1 % of 100, and 1 is 2 % of 50. Not really a paradox. It's just people assuming an answer instead of doing the maths.

[@CiuccioeCorraz]

You can argue the same thing for every mathematical paradox. I mean, it's called "paradox" if the right answer doesn't feel quite right until further investigation. Not wrong to call this paradox.

[@avg.player]

It's like 3 seconds of calculating. Not really counterintuitive either

[@TasTheWatcher]

The problem with using that definition is that instead of a pardox *being* an *actual* contradiction in logic, a paradox can just be anything that doesn't *seem* to, or anything a person *feels* doesn't make sense, regardless of the logical soundness or whether there *are* any contradictions in the proposed paradox. It therefore becomes subjective based on who's deciding whether there is or isn't a paradox, and much less specific, and (I think) less useful as a word. A person can make the assumption that heavy objects fall faster than light objects, and can *call* it a paradox all they like when their "logic" doesn't match up with reality, but there is no contradiction; it's just that person being wrong and not knowing basic things. If we use the more objective definition, I am not wrong in saying that the potato paradox isn't a paradox because there's no contradiction. And if we use the subjective definition, I'm still not wrong in saying it's not a paradox because it *seems* to me to make sense, and therefore isn't a paradox *to me* . Or are we defining paradoxes based solely on what the majority think, which is often wrong, rather on any actual logic?

[@christianmorales8978]

He explained in the video that it is a different type of paradox. D I F F E R E N T T Y P E O F P A R A D O X.

[@blargblarg5657]

David McGhee no, it is them changing what they are talking about half way through the question. It was CLEARLY started 1% of the water evaporated. He then increased the solid to liquid RATIO in a way that would not happen in reality. He is correct that the weight of the solid does not change but that does not mean it magically becomes 2% but would take up a proportional percentage compared to the water content. The question is ridiculous plain and simple.

[@avihaimel]

So .. not a paradox, Just a 5th grade math question about percentages

[@speedy01247]

I prefer treating it like a fraction as 1/100 means 100lbs where as 1/50 means 50lbs 1/50=98% so treating it as a fraction is far superior then treating it like a percentage. Also saw someone who focuses on the solid mass and figures the weight based on how much one would have to multiple it to reach 100% so 2% means multiplying by 50 meaning it weighs 50lbs.

[@ABaumstumpf]

speedy01247 *"I prefer treating it like a fraction.... so treating it as a fraction is far superior then treating it like a percentage. "* Go back to school - percentage IS a fraction.

[@Rubysh88]

they are still different... its much easier to visualize and do math with lets say 2/3 than it is 66.6666........67%

[@fonziii0073]

I need to smoke weed with this guy

[@zoranristov7349]

hahahah would be a hell of a trip xDDDD

[@glowstonelovepad9294]

Weed is bad

[@dollietheaddict8340]

@@glowstonelovepad9294 but weed is fun

[@istake5853]

@@dollietheaddict8340 yee

[@motuthicc3058]

Demon Queen yes

[@mytech6779]

Would have been so much easier to demonstrate if you just swap a second red potato for a silver then divide the pile. Doesn't even seem like a paradox at that point.

[@Peridox69420]

Don’t trust people with anime profile pictures.

[@melanieedwards2806]

So does that mean I can't trust you?

[@proximityclockworkx1572]

I am lying.

[@Yaksha_]

Oh god.. we need kevin again now..😂😂

[@marcusjamiana7247]

Its like the liar paradox

[@sohamdutta5881]

Guys, I don't know if this is true.

[@jdanielortega]

Good Guys Eric/Kevin, could've added 22 seconds to the video to get 3x revenue, but chose to keep the video concise.

[@Teoga2]

...

[@ammo1317]

doesnt actually work that way, is just a myth

[@diederik6710]

ammo1317 if a video is longer than 10 minutes you can add mid-video advertisements

[@jimothyj2638]

Good dudes inde

[@eVill420]

cuz they are getting payed a stable amount

[@FGOKURULES]

_Dear Math_ *Please grow up. I'm tried of solving your problems for you*

[@tracematson385]

very clever i like that

[@aidancampos5706]

FGOKURULES senior quote

[@TacDyne]

Only illiterate people say maths.

[@AeAeRon]

Part of the paradox is that the numbers aren't realistic in context so they mislead you. That's not really fair.

[@HnZ88.]

That question was actually on an olympiad I participated in a few years ago

[@larkito3279]

“the beetles were right” that was *very* ominous

[@kh2b573]

4:28 "lets just remove another water"

[@klamsy7249]

This doesn't feel like a paradox, just a common sense

[@limediamond4595]

So am I like 40% away from being soup?

[@theoriginalG99]

To potato or to not potato; that is the question

[@anonymoussean8457]

To potato or to not potato; that is the question

[@parka0m485]

To potato or to not potato; that is the question

[@sila18]

To potato or to not potato; that is the question

[@_12k70]

WRONG

[@ivansitohang1932]

Salad is 5% away from being a soup

[@stevenglansburg856]

Ivan Sitohang you should see how many dressing I put on it; it is a soup at that point.

[@dominickanddog134]

The trick here is he says that after they dry out they are 2% solid and 98% water. Not that they lose 1% of the water.