equals the side of the little square pieces to cut away. The
measurements given were 8 ft. by 3 ft., and the above rule gives 8 in.
as the side of the square pieces that have to be cut away. Of course it
will not always come out exact, as in this case (on account of that
square root), but you can get as near as you like with decimals.
202.--THE CONE PUZZLE.
The simple rule is that the cone must be cut at one-third of its
altitude.
203.--CONCERNING WHEELS.
If you mark a point A on the circumference of a wheel that runs on the
surface of a level road, like an ordinary cart-wheel, the curve
described by that point will be a common cycloid, as in Fig. 1. But if
you mark a point B on the circumference of the flange of a
locomotive-wheel, the curve will be a curtate cycloid, as in Fig. 2,
terminating in nodes. Now, if we consider one of these nodes or loops,
we shall see that "at any given moment" certain points at the bottom of
the loop must be moving in the opposite direction to the train. As there
is an infinite number of such points on the flange's circumference,
there must be an infinite number of these loops being described while
the train is in motion. In fact, at any given moment certain points on
the flanges are always moving in a direction opposite to that in which
the train is going.
[Illustration: 1]
[Illustration: 2]
In the case of the two wheels, the wheel that runs round the stationary
one makes two revolutions round its own centre. As both wheels are of
the same size, it is obvious that if at the start we mark a point on the
circumference of the upper wheel, at the very top, this point will be in
contact with the lower wheel at its lowest part when half the journey
has been made. Therefore this point is again at the top of the moving
wheel, and one revolution has been made. Consequently there are two such
revolutions in the complete journey.
204.--A NEW MATCH PUZZLE.
1. The easiest way is to arrange the eighteen matches as in Diagrams 1
and 2, making the length of the perpendicular AB equal to a match and a
half. Then, if the matches are an inch in length, Fig. 1 contains two
square inches and Fig. 2 contains six square inches--4 x 11/2. The second
case (2) is a little more difficult to solve. The solution is given in
Figs. 3 and 4. For the purpose of construction, place matches
temporarily on the dotted lines. Then it will be seen that as 3 contains
five equal equilateral triangles and 4 contains fifteen similar
triangles, one figure is three times as large as the other, and exactly
eighteen matches are used.
[Illustration: Figures 1, 2, 3, 4.]
205.--THE SIX SHEEP-PENS.
[Illustration] Place the twelve matches in the manner shown in the
illustration, and you will have six pens of equal size.
206.--THE KING AND THE CASTLES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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