Ponder This

June 2003

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Ponder This Challenge:

This month's puzzle was proposed by Harry Nelson and sent in by John G. Fletcher.

Partition a unit square into N > 1 mutually non-congruent rectangles, all of the same area 1/N. For what values of N is this possible?

Clarification: A complete solution will give an implicit list of all the values of N for which it is possible, a clear way of constructing such a partition, and a numerical example for least such value of N.

We will post the names of those who submit a correct, original solution! If you don't want your name posted then please include such a statement in your submission!

We invite visitors to our website to submit an elegant solution. Send your submission to the ponder@il.ibm.com.

If you have any problems you think we might enjoy, please send them in. All replies should be sent to: ponder@il.ibm.com

  

Challenge: 06/02/2003 @ 4:00 PM EST
Solution: 06/30/2003 @ 10:00 AM EST
List Updated: 06/02/2003 @ 4:00 PM EST

People who answered correctly:

Alan O'Donnell (6.02.2003 @6:01:12 AM EDT)
Vitaly Stakhovsky (6.3.2003 @07:00:42 AM EDT)
Dmitry Litvinenko (6.4.2003 @05:31:11 AM EDT)
Mark Stubbings (6.4.2003 @08:42:35 AM EDT)
Gyozo Nagy (6.5.2003 @06:01:22 PM EDT)
Phillippe Fondanaiche Paris (6.6.2003 @04:12:22 PM EDT)
Hagen von Eitzen (6.5.2003 @09:22:55 PM EDT)
Vince Lynch (6.8.2003 @07:29:49 PM EDT)
Christopher Howe (6.9.2003 @05:20:03 PM EDT)
Joe Fendek (6.11.2003 @12:35:07 PM EDT)
Ariel Flat (6.11.2003 @04:22:18 PM EDT)
Steve Horvath (6.13.2003 @09:00:06 AM EDT)
Bill Schennicke (6.13.2003 @03:42:00 PM EDT)
Miguel Cuartas (6.13.2003 @03:54:12 PM EDT)
Erick Bryce Wong (6.16.2003 @01:19:15 AM EDT)
Claudio Baiocchi (6.16.2003 @04:54:18 AM EDT)
Ken Crounse (6.16.2003 @02:38:34 PM EDT)
Pascal Brisset (6.16.2003 @04:07:39 PM EDT)
José H. Hieto (6.17.2003 @09:06:25 AM EDT)
Carl D'Sousa (6.17.2003 @07:37:47 PM EDT)
Algirdas Rascius (6.19.2003 @04:03:19 AM EDT)
Mark Buisseret (6.19.2003 @09:08:51 AM EDT)
Zhi Xing Shu (6.19.2003 @01:00:16 PM EDT)
Chris Hills (6.20.2003 @08:22:08 AM EDT)
Francis Golding (6.23.2003 @01:54:03 PM EDT)
Alex Wagner (6.23.2003 @01:50:25 PM EDT)
Dave Blackston (6.23.2003 @07:47:42 PM EDT)
Thomas Zheng (6.25.2003 @06:23:00 PM EDT)
Klaus Hoffmann (6.26.2003 @12:10:32 AM EDT)
Daniel Chong Jyh Tar (6.29.2003 @11:04:29 AM EDT)
Amit Sinha (6.30.2003 @01:39:00 AM EDT)

Attention: If your name is posted here and you wish it removed please send email to the ponder@il.ibm.com.