Mensa Triangle Problem - Seeking Answers

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter chriswall89@hotmail.
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Triangle
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the Mensa triangle problem, with participants exploring various theories and approaches to understanding the geometric properties of the shapes involved. The scope includes conceptual reasoning and technical analysis of the slopes of the triangles presented in the problem.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses frustration in solving the Mensa triangle problem and seeks theories from others.
  • Another participant suggests using the search function to find previous discussions, indicating that the problem has been addressed before.
  • A participant points out that one of the shapes may not be a real triangle, noting discrepancies in the slopes of the triangles involved.
  • It is mentioned that the slopes of the hypotenuses of the triangles differ, which implies that the overall shape may not be a straight line, challenging the classification of the shape as a triangle.
  • One participant acknowledges a misunderstanding in their approach, realizing that counting squares was not the correct method for solving the problem.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not appear to reach a consensus on the solution to the Mensa triangle problem, with multiple viewpoints and interpretations of the shapes and their properties being presented.

Contextual Notes

There are indications of missing assumptions regarding the definitions of the shapes and the criteria for classifying them as triangles. The discussion also highlights unresolved mathematical steps related to the slopes of the triangles.

chriswall89@hotmail.
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Ok, I've just signed up to this forum and i see there are a lot of very smart people and i just wondered if anyone knows the answer to the mensa triangle problem. I've sat and stared at it for hours and still i have no answer. Any theories.
mensatrianglepuzzle.gif
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
Use the search function. There have been several threads about this already.

Bottom line: Look at the slopes, one of the shapes isn't even a real triangle.

For example, the second triangle's green part has a steeper slope than the red part.

EDIT: The green triangle slopes don't equal the red triangle slope.

EDIT2: To see this, line up a ruler to the first triangle, connect the bottom left to the top right. Notice how the actual "triangle" is slightly below this. Do the same to the second one, and you will see the "triangle" is slightly bent upwards. So the change in that area is that extra square.
 
Last edited:
Damn you make it all sound easy but i see what you mean. I've just been counting the number of squares per triangle. Thats where I've been going wrong. Cheers
 
Oh, that thing! Check the slopes of the hypotenuse of the red right triangle: it has base 8 and height 3; slope 3/8. Now check the slope on the green right triangle: it has base 5 and height 2; slope 2/5. Since those are not the same, that "hypotenuse" of the entire "triangle" is NOT a straight line and it isn't really a triangle at all.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
  • · Replies 30 ·
2
Replies
30
Views
11K
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
5K
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
4K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
4K