Why Does This Puzzle Seem Confusing?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Adjoint
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Puzzle
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a puzzle that participants find confusing, particularly focusing on the appearance of an empty block in an optical illusion. The scope includes conceptual exploration of visual perception and illusions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about the puzzle, questioning whether it is a good puzzle or if they are misunderstanding it.
  • Another participant suggests examining the slopes of the triangles in the image to understand the illusion better, implying that it may not be a straightforward puzzle.
  • A later reply indicates that the initial confusion has been resolved, reiterating that the situation is more about an illusion than a puzzle.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion reflects a lack of consensus, with some participants viewing the situation as an illusion while others are still grappling with the puzzle aspect. The nature of the confusion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Participants do not provide specific definitions of the terms used, and there may be assumptions about visual perception that are not explicitly stated.

Adjoint
Messages
120
Reaction score
3
Am I getting dumb for some reason or is this a good puzzle?
PF friends! What am I missing here?
Really, from where did that empty block come?

https://xgwwxq.by3301.livefilestore.com/y2mLyb0TiTKVjKIyM-YhPhH8eOUBpyahkjUp-JGHbYtGwUOUhaUCI8-nQbCiUgUR2JcwIsHxUVDu0Rc1Z9NuPIDyDiCORi9AMRbJ0afq0ZD3iFSO_bAKRzxuWL5O58DG0R5/Illusion008.jpg?psid=1
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hi Adjoint,
Look at (I.e use a ruler or calculate) the slopes of the green and red triangles. It is more of an illusion to begin with.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: 1 person
Solution:
The triangles are not really triangles. In the first pic. the 'hypotenuse' is bent inwards, while in the second it is bent outwards. Try Sam Loyd's dissection puzzle after this.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: 1 person
Okey, I got this finally. Really, its more of an illusion than a puzzle.
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Why is water pressure increased in a plastic bag in a bucket?
  • · Replies 74 ·
3
Replies
74
Views
5K
Undergrad General Relativity rocket puzzle
  • · Replies 84 ·
3
Replies
84
Views
8K
Physicists Fix Economics: Ole Peters' Ergodic Hypothesis
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Graduate Solving a Mathematical Puzzle: Ways to Fill an Odiosis Board
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Undergrad Grassmannian as smooth manifold
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
Block tied to a fixed string on an accelerating wedge
  • · Replies 37 ·
2
Replies
37
Views
3K
The one correct response to an insincere apology
  • · Replies 47 ·
2
Replies
47
Views
14K
Undergrad Continuous vs discrete Universe
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
5K
Undergrad How is the popular estimate of the Earth's atmospheric mass correct?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
High School A symmetric problem has an asymmetric solution - why?
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
3K