Answers 327A
piece, as shown, into three pieces so that the five will form the rectangle in
Figure II. This figure may be said to be built up of fifteen equal squares, five
of which will be required for each new cross. Cutting is then not difficult, and
2,5,8,9 clearly form one cross; 13,6, 10, 7, and 11 will form the second cross,
as in Figure III; and 1, 3,4, 12 will form the third cross, as in Figure IV. The
smaller arms are one-third of the area of the larger arms. It is shown on page
232 of The Canterbury Puzzles how to find the side of the smaller squares.
The rest is now easy.
[Lindgren, in Geometric Dissections, pp. 55-56, shows how the number of
pieces can be reduced to twelve.-M. G.]
- MAKING A SQUARE
The diagram will make it clear how
the figure should be cut into four
pieces of the same size and shape
that will fit together and form a per-
fect square.