Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/161 - Blocks and Squares
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Puzzles and Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney: $161$
- Blocks and Squares
- Here is a curious but not easy puzzle that appeared, we believe, some ten years ago, though the author is not traced.
- Three children each possess a box containing similar cubic blocks, the same number of blocks in every box.
- The first girl was able, using all her blocks, to make a hollow square, as indicated by $A$.
- The second girl made a still larger square, as $B$.
- The third girl made a still larger square, as $C$ but had four blocks left over for the corners, as shown.
- What is the smallest number of blocks that each box could have contained?
- The diagram must not be taken to truly represent the proportion of the various squares.
Click here for solution
Sources
- 1932: Henry Ernest Dudeney: Puzzles and Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Various Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: $161$. -- Blocks and Squares
- 1968: Henry Ernest Dudeney: 536 Puzzles & Curious Problems ... (previous) ... (next): Arithmetical and Algebraical Problems: Miscellaneous Puzzles: $229$. Blocks and Squares