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        riddles >> hard >> Re: Cutting Up a Square
        
(Message started by: towr on May 15^th, 2003, 1:38am)

Title: Re: Cutting Up a Square
Post by towr on May 15^th, 2003, 1:38am

For the first cut I get [hide]11.8545[/hide] and for the second [hide]8.33619[/hide]

Title: Re: Cutting Up a Square
Post by towr on May 15^th, 2003, 4:11am

I called the point where the cuts cross (x,y) (and the second cut starts in (0,0) and goes through (x,y) ) , and worked out where the first cut crossed the square, based on it being perpendicular to the second cut, and going trough (x,y).
Then using the areas I did a numerical solve to get the x and y and then the length of the cuts.

How slight is the difference?

Title: Re: Cutting Up a Square
Post by THUDandBLUNDER on May 15^th, 2003, 4:23am

I got 11.8539 and 8.3361, but didn't go to more decimal places.

I saw this puzzle on Usenet and, as there were no takers, I had a go (but wish I hadn't).
Turned out to be a very tedious calculation.
I even worked out a general solution, which I will post later.