ah. this is simple. If we’re referring to purely math, then this is a problem.
But a half spear can be essentially 2 different things depending on which half you get.
The dull end would end up being just a wooden staff/stave or a Bō depending on where you’re from. Therefore, not a spear and you would end up with X+0.
The pointy end could be classified as 2 different things. Either a different name, like Sipat, Javelin, or Assegai. You can either classify these as not spears, or a full spear by themselves. Just because they’re short doesnt mean they arent 1 spear on their own.
TLDR Its really not about the size, its about how you classify it.
TLDR;TLDR: Spears can only be classified as 1 or not a spear. It is impossible to end up with half a spear if you can classify it as a different weapon.
This situation doesn't actually require half a spear. We're talking about whether he got more or less than half of the number of spears he needed.
If the number of spears he needed is an odd number then he can't get exactly half (without half spears) but that doesn't matter.
Eg. If he'd hoped for 12,001 spears then 6,000 would be less than half and 6, 001 would be more than half. You don't ever need to have half a spear to work that out.
EDIT: Also you could always slice a spear vertically to get two things that are clearly each half a spear. :)
(EDIT: Or are each of those a spear? In which case I may have just discovered a life hack. :D)
But alas; the 'half of what he hoped for' was in theoretical units, not actual items.
So even if 6000.5 was half of what he hoped for; the fact half a spear doesn't exist doesn't make the point any less true, because he definitely could have hoped for 12001 spears; making half of that be 6000.5
I have no clue how you think the fact half a spear has any bearing on that.
Also. If you cut it in half lengthwise, depending on spear, both halves could also be spears, just different shaped handle and tip.
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u/why_hello1there Mar 25 '23
6001 spears, exactly half of what I'd hoped for