Cutting one or more figures into pieces that then can be rearranged
to form other figures is called a geometric dissection.
Through the ages, geometric dissections have fascinated puzzle fans and
great mathematicians alike. The great Haberdasher puzzle of Henry Dudeney
is one of the most famous dissections.
The puzzle below is one of many great challenges from Dissections
Plane & Fancy, a wonderful and beautifully
illustrated book that will provide hours of enjoyment for any mathematical puzzle enthusiast.
In this book the author, Greg N. Frederickson, poses puzzles for you to solve. However, this is more than a puzzle
book. He explains solution methods carefully: new and old types of slides, strips, steps,
tessellations, and exploration of star and polygon structures. You need only a basic knowledge
of high school geometry.
Take three equilateral triangles, of side lengths 8, 9, and 12, and cut them into a total of five pieces that can form a larger equilateral triangle.
Solution (not for the tenacious)All items Copyright © by the authors, All Rights Reserved.
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