If Jane must rescue Tarzan from quicksand, the shortest path is a straight line from Jane to Tarzan, running first on solid ground and then entering the quicksand. However, taking the shortest path is not necessarily the best way to save Tarzan. Jane should take the quickest route, not the shortest one. Since Jane runs faster on terra firma than she can move through quicksand, determining the path she should take on dry land prior to entering the quicksand is a complex problem.

Finding the solution to such problems requires entering the realm of calculus, and many students pore over calculations to get the correct answer. It may be encouraging, (or possibly demoralizing) for them to realize how good dogs are at getting extremely close to the solution naturally. Copy article link Sign u

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