Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Toothpick Perimeter Problem


It is possible to make an area as small as 2 square units (and perhaps smaller?) with 12 toothpicks!  For the solution, click here.



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3 comments:

  1. Sarah GannonMarch 4, 2015 at 12:50 AM

    Why not a rhombus, with increasingly acute angles for increasingly smaller area?

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  2. Sian ZelboMarch 4, 2015 at 6:56 AM

    Yes, that would produce a 12-perimeter polygon with a tiny area (approaching 0). But in this problem we are restricted to integers only.

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  3. Innocent MkJanuary 17, 2018 at 6:37 AM

    The toothpick is a simple instrument with a simple purpose. We might not give it a second thought as we pick one up, free our teeth from discomfort and unsightly food remains, and then casually toss it away. Cinnamon Toothpicks

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