Henry Ernest Dudeney/Modern Puzzles/142 - Economy in String

Modern Puzzles by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $142$

Economy in String

Owing to the scarcity of string a lady found herself in this dilemma.

In making up a parcel for her son, she was limited to using $12$ feet of string, exclusive of knots,

which passed round the parcel once lengthways and twice round its girth, as shown in the illustration.

What was the largest rectangular parcel that she could make up, subject to these conditions?

Sources

• 1926: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Modern Puzzles ... (previous) ... (next): Geometrical Problems: Various Geometrical Puzzles: $142$. -- Economy in String
• 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Geometrical Problems: Solid Geometry Puzzles: $313$. Economy in String