Can You Solve It? Are You Cut Out for These Puzzling Slices?
Math enthusiasts, get ready to put your problem-solving skills to the test. British mathematician and popular maths writer Ian Stewart has created three mind-bending puzzles that will challenge even the most seasoned math whizzes.
First up is a classic geometric puzzle. Imagine a square grid with three of its corner cells missing. Below it lies a tile made up of three cells in a line. Can you cover the entire 33-cell grid with just 11 of these tiles? If so, how? Stewart's answer is no, and he explains why. But will your logic be enough to solve this problem?
Next, we have an intriguing shape-cutting puzzle. Take a look at the left-hand image below and try to cut it into four identical pieces along the black lines. The resulting puzzle on the right should fit together perfectly, but can you find another way to do it? Think outside the box – rotation and reflection are fair game.
Finally, let's talk pizza parties. Imagine dividing three pizzas among five people in different ways. Stewart has given us two solutions, but what about a third? Can each person get an equal share of slices with just 3-5 pieces per person? It's time to slice the competition and find out.
Stay tuned for Ian Stewart's answers at 5 pm UK, and don't forget to check out his new book "Reaching for the Extreme" – pre-order now!
Math enthusiasts, get ready to put your problem-solving skills to the test. British mathematician and popular maths writer Ian Stewart has created three mind-bending puzzles that will challenge even the most seasoned math whizzes.
First up is a classic geometric puzzle. Imagine a square grid with three of its corner cells missing. Below it lies a tile made up of three cells in a line. Can you cover the entire 33-cell grid with just 11 of these tiles? If so, how? Stewart's answer is no, and he explains why. But will your logic be enough to solve this problem?
Next, we have an intriguing shape-cutting puzzle. Take a look at the left-hand image below and try to cut it into four identical pieces along the black lines. The resulting puzzle on the right should fit together perfectly, but can you find another way to do it? Think outside the box – rotation and reflection are fair game.
Finally, let's talk pizza parties. Imagine dividing three pizzas among five people in different ways. Stewart has given us two solutions, but what about a third? Can each person get an equal share of slices with just 3-5 pieces per person? It's time to slice the competition and find out.
Stay tuned for Ian Stewart's answers at 5 pm UK, and don't forget to check out his new book "Reaching for the Extreme" – pre-order now!
! I tried solving those slicing pizzas problem last wkend & i'm still stuck lol, thinkin maybe u could do 3-4 slices per person but not sure if thats enough. Ian Stewart sounds like a genius tho, can't w8 to see his answers at 5 pm UK 
It's all about finding that sweet spot between fairness and sharing. I'm curious to see how Ian Stewart breaks it down - his explanations are always super insightful! 
. It's intriguing to see how these seemingly simple problems can challenge even the most astute minds like Ian Stewart's 
. I'm particularly intrigued by the shape-cutting puzzle, where rotation and reflection are permissible – it requires a certain level of spatial reasoning and creativity 
. The pizza party conundrum also has me thinking – equal distribution is often an elegant solution, but sometimes it's the unconventional approaches that yield the most surprising answers 
. Bring on Ian Stewart's explanation at 5 pm UK, I'm eager to see how he arrived at his conclusions! 
. I'm actually kinda hoping someone out there is gonna nail all 3 of these puzzles and share their solutions 
. The pizza party puzzle seems like a nice touch too, who doesn't love free pizza? 
still wanna watch the vids tho when its 5 pm uk 
first one, 11 tiles covering 33 cells seems doable but then again, math whizzes might have an easier time with this one 
the shape-cutting puzzle sounds like a fun one though... gotta think outside the box (or pizza slice) 
can't wait to see if i can find that third pizza party solution 
they were so tricky but also kinda satisfying when u finally figured them out lol i remember trying to figure that pizza party one for ages and almost gave up 
but the way stewart solves it is mind-blowing... like how he uses geometry and stuff to get to his answer 
but the pizza party thing tho 
how do u even think up this kinda stuff, ian stewart u genius or wut?