Puzzle Question: The Ladders

[Alexioco]

Here is a puzzle question I thought up to get you thinking. The answer to the question is rather simple. I wont post the answer, we will see who gets the answer first then ill post confirming its correct :D.

Q: A man standing mid way on some tall ladders manages to
climb all the way down, only to end up at the top of the ladders.
How is this possible?

Alex

[Trevor Lyn Whatford]

Hi Alex,

That what you get when the ladder is up side down.

Regards Trevor

[rotater]

The ladder passes through the earth.

[MrTim]

It's a fold-up ladder.... ;)

[Art]

The ladder is on a vertically rotating platform. The up and down referance frame changes with the rotation of the platform .

Two ladders connected top rung to bottom rung on each side of the platform would keep you busy like a hamster going down all the time : )

The poor old hamsters have been experiencing Besslerian frustration longer than most of us around here. I feel for the little buggers .

regards Art

[Trevor Lyn Whatford]

Hi Alex,

Yes the ladder is wheel mounted. Art has my vote.

[Alexioco]

Ahh Trevor you were right the first time lol. The ladder itself is upside down so when the man climbs down to the floor, he arrives at the top end of the ladders lol. By saying that the man stands mid way, i don't have to define the location of the actual top of the ladders.

Alex

[Grimer]

It brings out the ambiguity of the word "top" in the phrase "top of the ladder".

Since many, if not most ladders are symmetrical the word top has to refer to a point in space since the symmetry of the ladder means that top and bottom are indistinguishable. However, for a ladder which is not symmetrical it can refer to a part of the ladder.

[getterdone]

Had that happen to me once, it was the 70's , LSD was popular..... still don't know how it happened.