help!!! do you know how to count?!

[tempted]

This is probably a dumb thread but i just got this stupid little thing on an email and i still haven't figured out what happens, so here's the deal: if you count before and after the image changes, you'll get a different number of people. it's really ruining my head, i know i'm missing something but i've been looking at that for almost 20 minutes now, and nothing comes to my mind :frust:... so please, can someone tell me what happens?! :confused:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v74/miss-eli/cid_image001.gif

[Hylas]

I didn't even notice the image changes! These are the things that can keep you awake at night...

[IcyMourdor]

Its starts with the a bunch of 5 on the left and a bunch of 7 on the right. After it changes, it goes to 6 on the left and 7 on the right. Its weird how the count changes with the image moving. Not quite sure where the last pait of legs came in, but ah well.

[tempted]

Its starts with the a bunch of 5 on the left and a bunch of 7 on the right. After it changes, it goes to 6 on the left and 7 on the right. Its weird how the count changes with the image moving. Not quite sure where the last pait of legs came in, but ah well.

yes i noticed what you said, but i wanna know what happens..argh it's so annoying.

[Redpyramidhead]

Ummm... how to keep a blonde busy?

_RED_ stuff

[tempted]

Ummm... how to keep a blonde busy?

_RED_ stuff

that's a bad joke...and then you get surprised for still being in the "almost" friend list. ;)

...now since you seem to be so much smarter than everyone else, why don't you indulge me on what happens there, cause i still haven't figured it out. I just gave up.

[Dactrius]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/Dactrius/PuzzleWhole.jpg

Here's my rather crude attempt at putting both images side-by-side. I figured numbering them before and after the change would help figure this out. The horizontal black line in the middle shows you where the image splits, and allows you to see what feet and heads are moved or stay.

The red numbers tell you how many people you can see above the line, and the blue numbers tell you how many you can see below the line. Check for yourself, there are clearly 12 bodies below the line in each picture, and 12 bodies above it.

The key here is the boy numbered 6 in the second picture. After the change he is the new character.

The tops of boys 1 - 5 in the first picture move to create boys 9 - 13 in the second picture. The tops of boys 6 - 12 move to create boys 2 - 8 in the second picture. The catch? The body of boy 1 never moves, only the scalp of his head. The top of his head is never replaced, nor does it need to be. This allows him to stay and the newly created boy 6 to seem like a 13th person. Look carefully and think about it.

It's complex to get your head round, but that's how it's done.

[tempted]

thank you! thank you! thank you! you're a genious! :)