A worker is to perform work for you for seven straight days. In return for his work, you will pay him 1/7th of a bar of gold per day. The worker requires a daily payment of 1/7th of the bar of gold. What and where are the fewest number of cuts to the bar of gold that will allow you to pay him 1/7th each day?
* Lets say y = x
* Multiply through by x xy = x2
* Subtract y2 from each side xy - y2 = x2 - y2
* Factor each side y(x-y) = (x+y)(x-y)
* Divide both sides by (x-y) y = x+y
* Divide both sides by y y/y = x/y + y/y
* And so... 1 = x/y + 1
* Since x=y, x/y = 1 1 = 1 + 1
* And so... 1 = 2
You need to remove four matchsticks from the picture below and still need to maintain the following as in the original image.
1. 1st row contains 12 matchsticks
2. 2nd row contains 12 matchsticks
3. 1st column contains 12 matchsticks
4. 2nd column contains 12 matchsticks
I come in different shapes and sizes.
Parts of me are curved, other parts are straight.
You can put me anywhere you like,
but there is only one right place for me.
What am I?
In 2007, a puzzle was released and $2 million prizes were offered for the first complete solution. The competition ended at noon on 31 December 2010, with no solution being found. Wiki