Video: The SAT Question Everyone Got Wrong (Veritasium)

Science • Views: 14,409

How an SAT question became a mathematical paradox. Huge thanks to Dr. Doug Jungreis for taking the time to speak with us about this SAT question.

I invented Snatoms, a molecule modeling kit where the atoms snap together magnetically. Try it at ve42.co

Thanks to Stellarium, a wonderful free astronomy simulator – ve42.co
Thanks to newspapers.com, a database of historical newspapers – ve42.co

References:

Click to Reveal

Summary of this problem by MindYourDecisions –
More cool math about this problem by Kyle Hill –
Discussion of a solar day by MinutePhysics –
Murtagh, J. (2023). The SAT Problem That Everybody Got Wrong. Scientific American – ve42.co
United Press International (1982). Error Found in S.A.T. Question. New York Times – ve42.co
Yang (2020). What’s the hardest SAT math problem that you’ve seen? Quora – ve42.co
Coin rotation paradox via Wikipedia – ve42.co
Simmons, B. (2015). Circle revolutions rolling around another circle. MathStackExchange. – ve42.co
Sidereal time via Wikipedia – ve42.co
Solar Time vs. Sidereal Time via Las Cumbres Observatory – ve42.co

Images & Video:
Zotti, G., et al. (2021). The Simulated Sky: Stellarium for Cultural Astronomy Research - ve42.co
Newspapers from 1980s - 1990s via newspapers.com – ve42.co
SAT Practice Test via the College Board – ve42.co
Revolution Definition via NASA – ve42.co
Revolution Definition via Merriam-Webster – ve42.co
Earth motion animation via NASA – ve42.co
Satellite animation via NASA – ve42.co

▀▀▀
Directed by Emily Zhang
Written by Emily Zhang and Gregor Čavlović
Edited by Peter Nelson
Animated by Ivy Tello and Fabio Albertelli
Filmed by Derek Muller
Produced by Emily Zhang, Han Evans, Gregor Čavlović, and Derek Muller

Thumbnail by Ren Hurley
Additional video/photos supplied by Getty Images and Pond5
Music from Epidemic Sound

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56 comments
1
EPR-radar  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:31:40pm

I’m glad to see the video gets into how this relates to the difference between sidereal day year and solar day year.

Edited for precision — there is also a difference between solar and sidereal years, which has a different cause.

2
PhillyPretzel ✅  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:39:11pm

I liked the quarters example. For some reason it reminded me of the Super Spirograph that my kid sister and I played with years ago.

3
goddamnedfrank  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:43:40pm

re: #101 A hollow voice says: Abort SCOTUS

The anti-semitism is fueled by Arabs and Palestinians (both foreign and American) on campus, and these institutions are large and prestigious enough to attract large cohorts of foreign students.

Elon Musk likes this. It’s just the effect half of the replacement theory tweet he said was “the actual truth” divorced from its purported driver. It also absolves by ommission good old fashioned home grown white christian ass antisemitism.

They’re also large enough to have departments like gender studies, conflict studies, ethnic studies, etc. (which are worthy of study, though not as they do it). Since these areas don’t really have facts and evidence to keep them in check, advancement rests with their peers, and dogmatic, jargon-laced garbage is the result. And there’s no nuance in what they preach — you have to be either an oppressor or a victim. So they fall right into the Palestinian/victim trap.

Casting modern social sciences as emotionally driven and not based on facts or rigorous research is a well worn dismissive conservative frame for the studies that challenge society’s established power structures and the ahistorical popular narratives written by those in power. This frame is the entartete kunst of modern reactionary academic discourse, intent on devaluing entire departments based on sweeping stereotypes bearing little resemblance to reality.

4
Colère Tueur de Lapin ✅  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:46:04pm

re: #3 goddamnedfrank

Dismissively calling anything not a STEM science as “soft-science”.

5
goddamnedfrank  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:50:11pm

re: #4 Colère Tueur de Lapin ✅

Dismissively calling anything not a STEM science as “soft-science”.

Most people have no idea how much high level math drives modern “soft” sciences.

6
A Cranky One  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:50:23pm

7
gocart mozart  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:50:55pm
8
EPR-radar  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:53:47pm

re: #4 Colère Tueur de Lapin ✅

Dismissively calling anything not a STEM science as “soft-science”.

It is unreasonable to dismiss the non-STEM fields as garbage in toto, but IMO it is fair to say that they require a greater degree of academic discipline than fields more subject to explicit reality checks.

Said disciple is too often inadequate and much too often not even attempted. E.g., the Sokal Hoax.

9
A Cranky One  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:54:42pm

10
EPR-radar  Dec 1, 2023 • 3:56:05pm

re: #5 goddamnedfrank

Most people have no idea how much high level math drives modern “soft” sciences.

One good example is statistical analysis. Physical models for simple physical experiments are often so simple that “chi by eye” is perfectly adequate. Good luck with that in a situation where one has no idea of what the important parameters even are, or which are causes and which are effects.

11
EPR-radar  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:04:02pm

re: #3 goddamnedfrank

Elon Musk likes this. It’s just the effect half of the replacement theory tweet he said was “the actual truth” divorced from its purported driver. It’s also absolves by ommission good old fashioned home grown white christian ass antisemitism.

Casting modern social sciences as emotionally driven and not based on facts or rigorous research is a well worn dismissive conservative frame for the studies that challenge society’s established power structures and the ahistorical popular narratives written by those in power. This frame is the entartete kunst of modern reactionary academic discourse, intent on devaluing entire departments based on sweeping stereotypes bearing little resemblance to reality.

It should also be noted that the Right Wing Empire of Lies is the most effective practitioner of wholesale denial of reality (as in the most extreme versions of postmodern ideas) these days, not lefty lit crit types.

12
gocart mozart  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:13:12pm
13
EPR-radar  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:15:41pm

re: #12 gocart mozart

“Let them fight”. But Santos is an omni-liar, so I’ll only believe he has useful evidence vs. his fellow GOP criminals when I see it.

14
DodgerFan1988  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:17:36pm
15
goddamnedfrank  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:18:27pm

Voightländer update. It’s in good condition except the shutter needs a CLA, the 1/2 second, 1 second and bulb settings hang up and don’t close. Honestly that was expected and since it’s only really designed for handheld use with no tripod mount or provision for a cable release I probably wouldn’t even miss them. Anyway this is where living near to LA is nice, will drive it down to Canada Camera next week.

16
Decatur Deb  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:20:02pm

re: #15 goddamnedfrank

Voightländer update. It’s in good condition except the shutter needs a CLA, the 1/2 second, 1 second and bulb settings hang up and don’t close. Honestly that was expected and since it’s only really designed for handheld use with no tripod mount or provision for a cable release I probably wouldn’t even miss them. Anyway this is where living near to LA is nice, will drive it down to Canada Camera next week.

As you exercise it, those slow settings might come back.

17
Eventual Carrion  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:20:05pm

18
🐈 Crush White Nationalism 🐈  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:20:21pm

re: #13 EPR-radar

“Let them fight”. But Santos is an omni-liar, so I’ll only believe he has useful evidence vs. his fellow GOP criminals when I see it.

He’s less reliable than the guy that fucked kids with Matt Gaetz, so he won’t be doing them any damage in a courtroom.

19
Unabogie  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:20:59pm

re: #5 goddamnedfrank

Most people have no idea how much high level math drives modern “soft” sciences.

It’s such a common and lazy approach to academia. People dismissed biologists for “studying fruit flies” without ever learning that fruit flies offer unique insights into various mechanisms. Likewise, gender studies use empirical data to test theories about society. Society isn’t the way it is because of some natural default. We make choices. People who benefit from those choices don’t want their benefits to disappear so they protect them. Academics study those choices using data to see how they hold up against better choices and worse choices. That’s science.

20
TedStriker  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:22:09pm

re: #9 A Cranky One

[Embedded content]

Someone’s getting beat to death with a Hoover for Christmas!

21
Decatur Deb  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:22:56pm

re: #20 TedStriker

Someone’s getting beat to death with a Hoover for Christmas!

But the cleanup will be a breeze.

22
Unabogie  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:26:04pm

re: #21 Decatur Deb

But the cleanup will be a breeze.

Hoovers are great for hoovering up evidence of murder.

Or so I’ve been told…

23
A hollow voice says: Abort SCOTUS  Dec 1, 2023 • 4:40:21pm

re: #3 goddamnedfrank

Casting modern social sciences as emotionally driven and not based on facts or rigorous research is a well worn dismissive conservative frame for the studies that challenge society’s established power structures and the ahistorical popular narratives written by those in power. This frame is the entartete kunst of modern reactionary academic discourse, intent on devaluing entire departments based on sweeping stereotypes bearing little resemblance to reality.

As I said, I think these subjects are worth studying —- just not as they’re doing it. Can’t really speak to the emotionally driven part, but far too much of it is not based on facts or rigor (yes, I’m capable of fact-checking). Particularly once it reaches the general public.

Elon Musk likes this. It’s just the effect half of the replacement theory tweet he said was “the actual truth” divorced from its purported driver. It also absolves by ommission good old fashioned home grown white christian ass antisemitism

When I cross the campus every few days and see demonstrations made up entirely of young people identifying themselves as Palestinian or Arab, you will have to forgive me for thinking that Palestinians and Arabs might be driving the demonstrations. Other anti-semites have much to answer for — but they’re not fueling the campus unrest. At least not around here.

Also too, IDGAF what Elon Musk likes or doesn’t like.

24
Dangerman  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:05:47pm

25
Nojay UK  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:13:04pm

re: #18 🐈 Crush White Nationalism 🐈

He’s less reliable than the guy that fucked kids with Matt Gaetz, so he won’t be doing them any damage in a courtroom.

Mobile phones are great evidence recorders these days. “George Santos” may be a con-man or suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder or the second Coming of Walter Mitty but he’s not actively stupid. If he figured he’d need blackmail material some time in the future and he was offered access to such then he’d likely take the opportunity to make multiple copies of the videos, ready to upload on TikTok or wherever.

More entertaining would be if he offered this evidence, which might include criminal acts, to the Feds in return for a plea deal on his multiple criminal indictments.

26
William Lewis  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:15:41pm

re: #15 goddamnedfrank

Voightländer update. It’s in good condition except the shutter needs a CLA, the 1/2 second, 1 second and bulb settings hang up and don’t close. Honestly that was expected and since it’s only really designed for handheld use with no tripod mount or provision for a cable release I probably wouldn’t even miss them. Anyway this is where living near to LA is nice, will drive it down to Canada Camera next week.

If that’s all that’s happening, unscrew the lens elements from the shutter an flush liberally with zippo lighter fluid while exercising the shutter. Once it’s working right again, let it dry then screw the elements back in and run a roll of ISO400 through it.

27
Dangerman  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:19:24pm

i had a long workout on the rower this am
it’s kinda fun
so far

every time i bend down, my thighs are screaming
running tends towards the muscles at the back of the legs
rowing is more about the front
a good combination

anyway, i told you that to tell you what just happened in the danger kitchen

i bent down to pick something up off the floor
and i groaned. loud.
i said ‘sometimes the floor is so far away’

mrsdm said ‘yeah. it always is. we should talk to whoever decided that’s where it should be”

totally deadpan

i am so in love

28
A Cranky One  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:20:18pm

29
PhillyPretzel ✅  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:21:41pm

re: #28 A Cranky One

lol. We had a dial phone for many years.

30
GlutenFreeJesus  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:23:40pm

re: #12 gocart mozart

[Embedded content]

He doesn’t know shit. Nobody associated with him. 😂

31
Targetpractice  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:26:09pm

re: #28 A Cranky One

[Embedded content]

Things not said in the 2020s:

“Get off the phone, I’m waiting on a call!”

32
darthstar  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:28:20pm

re: #12 gocart mozart
Narrator: Santos doesn’t have shit.

33
GlutenFreeJesus  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:30:15pm

re: #27 Dangerman

I missed it. Did you get a Concept2, or another rower?

34
mmmirele  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:30:51pm

re: #9 A Cranky One

All right, I have something to say about that, and the color of the vacuum cleaner reminded me of it. For their first Christmas together as a married couple, my father bought my mother a Husqvarna (now Viking) sewing machine. Which apparently cost $300 in 1959. It was top of the line. My mother LOVED it. She sewed everything she could on it, curtains, clothing, whatever. It looked like this:

That thing is a TANK, all metal. It’s now mine, but it was living over at my mother’s house because she thought she might sew again with it and I just never took it back. I will grab it back tomorrow.

35
Charles Johnson  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:34:35pm

Creatures like George Santos are inevitable when you have a Republican Party that elects and then DEFENDS a creature like Donald Trump. Santos is a proto-trump. There are many like him.

This is what the GOP has devolved into, they don’t try to fucking hide it any more.

36
Eclectic Cyborg  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:38:00pm

Live update on the GOP investigation of Joe Biden:

37
jaunte  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:38:03pm

@amandasmith.bsky.social

Now, as your father told you, my name is Matt Foley, and I am a motivational speaker! Before I begin, I want to tell you a little about myself, so you’ll know where I’m coming from. First off, I am 35 years old, I am thrice divorced, and I live in a van down by the river!

38
goddamnedfrank  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:45:19pm

re: #26 William Lewis

If that’s all that’s happening, unscrew the lens elements from the shutter an flush liberally with zippo lighter fluid while exercising the shutter. Once it’s working right again, let it dry then screw the elements back in and run a roll of ISO400 through it.

Hmmm, looking at it I’d need to get a lock-ring wrench to get the back element off. Not sure the one I have for my Copal shutters will work, even if it’s the right size the bellows blocks the ring in the closed position. Will think about it. I’ve been meaning to take my Linhof first generation 617 in for service anyway ‘cuz the way the shutter release mechanism winds down through the body is binding somewhere and makes it so I have to unscrew the remote cable release after each shot or the internal catch won’t reset and stop the film when advancing to the next frame. I haven’t taken it out in a while because wasting a frame on a camera that only gets four frames per roll is super frustrating.

39
Eclectic Cyborg  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:49:04pm

Heh.

40
teleskiguy  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:50:25pm

re: #37 jaunte

Living in a van down by the river was the margins of society 30 years ago. Now it’s very bourgeoisie.

41
Belafon  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:51:03pm

re: #28 A Cranky One

Something else no one said in the 80s: “Hi, my car broke down. I’m on highway 83, 25 miles out of town. Can you send a tow truck?”

42
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:55:02pm

The Dick Cavett Show Youtube channel posted (again) Cavett’s interview with Enoch Powell. As to be expected, the comments have drawn in the bigots:

Enoch Powell Addresses Racism Accusations | The Dick Cavett Show

..

43
teleskiguy  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:56:07pm

44
Targetpractice  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:59:13pm

re: #40 teleskiguy

Living in a van down by the river was the margins of society 30 years ago. Now it’s very bourgeoisie.

[Embedded content]

Yeah, there’s entire YT channels these days dedicated to guys living in campers they scratchbuilt inside vans or on the backs of pick-up trucks. Not to mention the numerous ones of guys building cabins out in the woods with anything they can get their hands on.

45
🐈 Crush White Nationalism 🐈  Dec 1, 2023 • 5:59:18pm
In a brief presentation before Portland City Council on people committing retail theft, Portland police officers may have also violated state law.

The Tuesday virtual work session featured updates from a number of Portland police teams, including a 10-minute overview on retail theft prevention in North Portland from a pair of officers. Commander Robert Simon and Sergeant Jorge Mendoza explained how they work with theft prevention staff at large retailers at the Jantzen Beach and Cascade Station shopping centers.

To illustrate their work, Mendoza used a slideshow to walk commissioners through a few “case studies” of recent theft attempts at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

The first slide featured a mugshot of a Black man in his late 30s, listing his name and date of birth. Mendoza described how this man allegedly drove a stolen car to Dick’s and proceeded to steal merchandise from the store before being stopped by Portland police. The following slide featured three more mugshots - two women and one man - who allegedly used a fake check to pay for merchandise from Dick’s.

Like the previous slide, the suspects were all Black. Their mugshots were accompanied by names and birth dates. Mendoza noted that one of the identified women said she was a victim of sex trafficking.

Mendoza ended the presentation with little fanfare.

“That’s what we have for our slideshow,” he said.

The officers involved in putting the slideshow together are now under investigation by the Police Bureau’s internal affairs division for this slideshow, according to the bureau. It’s not clear if Mendoza is under investigation.

Portland Police investigating potential violation of state mugshot law in City Council meeting (OPB)

46
darthstar  Dec 1, 2023 • 6:00:15pm

Went off the strip to play a little today - the Strip casinos are all way too expensive. I spent an hour in one today and blew through half my budget…took a cab to the Orleans - about a mile and a half west, found $10 tables, and spent the next four hours a little up, a little down…got my fix and don’t regret what I spent.

Took an Uber back to my hotel at the strip and holy mother of god this place turns into a zoo fast. There’s nothing more romantic than watching a bride and her groom trying to navigate a sea of inebriated people as they look for the chapel and she tries to keep her train from brushing against rented scooters and football fans in town for the Pac-12 championship.

47
William Lewis  Dec 1, 2023 • 6:01:20pm

re: #38 goddamnedfrank

Hmmm, looking at it I’d need to get a lock-ring wrench to get the back element off. Not sure the one I have for my Copal shutters will work, even if it’s the right size the bellows blocks the ring in the closed position. Will think about it. I’ve been meaning to take my Linhof first generation 617 in for service anyway ‘cuz the way the shutter release mechanism winds down through the body is binding somewhere and makes it so I have to unscrew the remote cable release after each shot or the internal catch won’t reset and stop the film when advancing to the next frame. I haven’t taken it out in a while because wasting a frame on a camera that only gets four frames per roll is super frustrating.

[Embedded content]

Given that, sure, doing both at the same time is not a bad idea. I’m used to being a poor dude resurrecting an old camera so I only use repair guys if I have to or for my very best gear (Leica, Nikon, etc) & lenses.

Now me, I gotta finish the roll in my Nikon F4 so I can develop it and test my new scanning attachment for my Nikon D810:

48
Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus  Dec 1, 2023 • 6:03:15pm

To my not-surprise, the masses over at NightCafe did not appreciate my no-theme submission:

nightcafe submission

I do well when I submit the escapist fantasy images, but any attempt at real “art” is usually not appreciated.

49
🐈 Crush White Nationalism 🐈  Dec 1, 2023 • 6:04:51pm

re: #48 Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus

To my not-surprise, the masses over at NightCafe did not appreciate my no-theme submission:

[Embedded content]

I do well when I submit the escapist fantasy images, but any attempt at real “art” is usually not appreciated.

That doesn’t even have any tits, so I’m not surprised that they didn’t love it.

50
A Cranky One  Dec 1, 2023 • 6:08:45pm

re: #34 mmmirele

All right, I have something to say about that, and the color of the vacuum cleaner reminded me of it. For their first Christmas together as a married couple, my father bought my mother a Husqvarna (now Viking) sewing machine. Which apparently cost $300 in 1959. It was top of the line. My mother LOVED it. She sewed everything she could on it, curtains, clothing, whatever. It looked like this:

[Embedded content]

That thing is a TANK, all metal. It’s now mine, but it was living over at my mother’s house because she thought she might sew again with it and I just never took it back. I will grab it back tomorrow.

Hey, I bought Mrs Cranky a very expensive sewing machine one year.
If only she sewed.

//////////////////

51
teleskiguy  Dec 1, 2023 • 6:09:48pm

re: #46 darthstar

Vegas, the ultimate people watching destination. Fucken peanut gallery brah!

52
teleskiguy  Dec 1, 2023 • 6:12:49pm

If you’re gonna gamble in Vegas you’d do right like darthstar did and go somewhere else besides The Strip. Even if the big casinos there have cheap tables they’re always stoopid crowded 24/7. Off Strip you can find plenty of empty $5 and $10 blackjack tables.

53
TedStriker  Dec 1, 2023 • 6:32:03pm

re: #36 Eclectic Cyborg

Live update on the GOP investigation of Joe Biden:

[Embedded content]

Tim Russ, pre-ST:VOY, BTW…

54
piratedan  Dec 1, 2023 • 6:32:23pm

re: #52 teleskiguy

or even Fremont Street and go out and enjoy the light show….

55
Dangerman  Dec 1, 2023 • 7:00:12pm

re: #33 GlutenFreeJesus

I missed it. Did you get a Concept2, or another rower?

Yes concept 2.
And im liking it.

56
austin_blue  Dec 1, 2023 • 8:17:34pm

re: #34 mmmirele

All right, I have something to say about that, and the color of the vacuum cleaner reminded me of it. For their first Christmas together as a married couple, my father bought my mother a Husqvarna (now Viking) sewing machine. Which apparently cost $300 in 1959. It was top of the line. My mother LOVED it. She sewed everything she could on it, curtains, clothing, whatever. It looked like this:

[Embedded content]

That thing is a TANK, all metal. It’s now mine, but it was living over at my mother’s house because she thought she might sew again with it and I just never took it back. I will grab it back tomorrow.

They also made excellent motocross bikes.


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