Can a Unit Square be Covered with Six Squares of Side Length Less than 1/2?

[julien]

Hello,

A problem from Newman, which I posted at
http://www.mymathforum.com/POW/POW1.pdf , asks to show that it is
impossible to cover a unit square with 5 squares whose sides have
lengths <1/2.


It is possible to realize such a covering with 7 squares.


What if we allow us only 6 squares ?


JS,
http://www.mymathforum.com

 

[StatusX]

It's possible with 7 squares, as shown http://www.stetson.edu/~efriedma/squcosqu/" .

 

[murshid_islam]

A problem from Newman, which I posted at
http://www.mymathforum.com/POW/POW1.pdf , asks to show that it is impossible to cover a unit square with 5 squares whose sides have
lengths <1/2.

how can we prove that? any ideas?