Can you explain this amazing puzzle?

Muse99 · 2007-06-10 05:21:35

At last a puzzle forum!! I have been looking for some genius to give me an answer to this puzzle I seen. I just don't understand how it can be done. It is the one with the triangles - I'm sure many of you have seen it.

It is the 'amazing riddle' on the main page here:

http://www.amazed.tv

I hope someone can show me how this is done - it is driving me nuts!

Thanks.

mathsyperson · 2007-06-10 06:12:34

Direct link to puzzle

I won't tell you the answer explicitly, but I'll say that you can do the same trick with a 3x5 triangle, a 2x3 triangle, and shapes that look like this:

------------------- --------
| | | |
| | | |
-------- | | --------------
| | | |
| | | |
------------- ----------------------

Hopefully those Badly Drawn Diagrams[sup]©[/sup] are good enough for you to be able to see what I mean.

That version of the trick will work in the same way, but the reason it works will be a bit more obvious.
There's an excellent page on this site somewhere about this puzzle, but I can't find it right now.

amateur · 2007-06-10 08:00:21

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_square_puzzle

There is a very nice explanation!

Sorry, I don't kow how to put direct link.

landof+ · 2007-07-09 23:13:28

actually, the "triangle" is actually a quadrillateral, and the second diagram, ignoring the "missing" square, is a four sided figure, except that one of the angles looks like a straight line. the two triangles are not similar.

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2007-06-10 05:21:35

Can you explain this amazing puzzle?

#2 2007-06-10 06:12:34

Re: Can you explain this amazing puzzle?

#3 2007-06-10 08:00:21

Re: Can you explain this amazing puzzle?

#4 2007-07-09 23:13:28

Re: Can you explain this amazing puzzle?

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