Re: Weird geometric puzzle

[Ben Nabors <nabors@mindspring.com>]

The constructions have the same area, but neither of them are triangles.

It is the natural inclination of those of us who have mathematical
inclinations to assume that the two smaller triangles that partially make
up the larger triangle are the same size, as they seem to share a common
line.  The fact, however, is that they only share a common point.  Their
longest sides do not lie on a single line, but rather the lines, were they
to be drawn out, would intersect at their common point.  

The smallest angle of the red triangle is more acute than that of the green
triangle.  Because of the way the triangles are put together, the longest
"side" of the top construction makes it a concave item, whereas the bottom
construction is a convex item.

Thanks,
Ben


At 11.27 01/15/99 -0500, Jason Gerry wrote:
>http://home.earthlink.net/~noglider/bizarre.gif
>
>This is weird indeed. Are the total areas of the triangles the same??
>
>Jason Gerry - MCI WorldCom
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