Comments on: Brain Game: L-ementary http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772 Feel Smart Again Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:16:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 By: Olympia http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-272646 Olympia Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:36:10 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-272646 I think the instructions could have been a bit vaguer. No indication whether or not the whole shape is a square. Also, what kind of description is "identically-shaped parts?" Doesn't a 2 x 6 rectangle and a 4 x 12 identically shaped rectangles, just not the same measurements...maybe I just don't get the lingo. Odd wording I guess. I think the instructions could have been a bit vaguer.

No indication whether or not the whole shape is a square. Also, what kind of description is “identically-shaped parts?” Doesn’t a 2 x 6 rectangle and a 4 x 12 identically shaped rectangles, just not the same measurements…maybe I just don’t get the lingo. Odd wording I guess.

]]> By: Nerak http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-214398 Nerak Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:36:30 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-214398 I'm glad to see so many others came up with 4 triangles and it wasn't just me. I’m glad to see so many others came up with 4 triangles and it wasn’t just me.

]]> By: Richard http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-214196 Richard Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:41:08 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-214196 @Betsy, Similar polygons are polygons for which all corresponding angles are congruent and all corresponding sides are proportional. Keeping the sides proportional would be a crucial. @Betsy, Similar polygons are polygons for which all corresponding angles are congruent and all corresponding sides are proportional. Keeping the sides proportional would be a crucial.

]]> By: Betsy http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-214149 Betsy Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:57:08 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-214149 @Richard... If they're not similar anyway, is there any reason there couldn't just be, for instance, three skinny ones and a fat one? @Richard… If they’re not similar anyway, is there any reason there couldn’t just be, for instance, three skinny ones and a fat one?

]]> By: Marc in UT http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-214116 Marc in UT Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:23:55 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-214116 I also came up with the triangle solution. Demonstrates the difference between "similar" and "congruent" quite well. I also came up with the triangle solution. Demonstrates the difference between “similar” and “congruent” quite well.

]]> By: Richard http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-214054 Richard Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:04:11 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-214054 @Tdl ... I liked the idea so I worked it out. If the height of the figure is X, than the width of the largest "L" would be 0.1591(X), the next 0.1338(X), the next 0.1125(X) and the last and smallest 0.0946(X). Of course I rounded to the fourth decimal. @Tdl … I liked the idea so I worked it out. If the height of the figure is X, than the width of the largest “L” would be 0.1591(X), the next 0.1338(X), the next 0.1125(X) and the last and smallest 0.0946(X). Of course I rounded to the fourth decimal.

]]> By: EAS http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-214004 EAS Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:39:57 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-214004 Four right triangles, TL to BR then BL to inner vertex of the 'l' Four right triangles, TL to BR then BL to inner vertex of the ‘l’

]]> By: Lugh http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-213998 Lugh Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:35:03 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-213998 @Tdl - I don't think you could manage that and actually keep them the same shape. To be the same shape, the proportions between the sides would have to remain constant. @Tdl – I don’t think you could manage that and actually keep them the same shape. To be the same shape, the proportions between the sides would have to remain constant.

]]> By: CH http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-213966 CH Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:44:50 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-213966 I also came to the triagle conclusion. In order to make the triangles the same size, you could take the two larger triangles and split them in two in order to make 6 triangles of identical size. I also came to the triagle conclusion. In order to make the triangles the same size, you could take the two larger triangles and split them in two in order to make 6 triangles of identical size.

]]> By: Tdl http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36772/comment-page-1#comment-213965 Tdl Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:42:59 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/?p=36772#comment-213965 What about drawing 3 "L"'s inside the shape, facing the same way as the blue "L"? Again, they all would be the different sizes, but it would work. What about drawing 3 “L”‘s inside the shape, facing the same way as the blue “L”? Again, they all would be the different sizes, but it would work.

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