Todays Brain Teaser #4 (10JUN2013)

[vpnavy]

Today's Brain Teaser #4 (10JUN2013)

A farmer challenges an engineer, a physicist, and a mathematician to fence off the largest amount of area using the least amount of fence.

The engineer made his fence in a circle and said it was the most efficient.

The physicist made a long line and said that the length was infinite. Then he said that fencing half of the Earth was the best.

The mathematician laughed at the others and with his design, beat the others.

What did the mathematician do?

 

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[Crispin]

My first instinct was created Gabrielle's Horn, which has infinite surface area. However, I'm pretty sure that is not what you are looking for. So that is not my answer and I'm going to keep thinking on it.

 

[Crispin]

Okay, this is the best I got. He made a fence around the whole group. Then stated that fence was for the universe and they were on the outside of it. Hence, infinite area over finite amount of fence creates an infinite ratio. I know that is weak but it has been a long time since calc 2 and I stopped there.

 

[Backbacon]

Would building a tiny fence say 1 square foot and calming that all the land on the outside of this small fence was what is now "fenced off" work? Kind of how a Chicken Coop or a Dog Run is fenced off and the surrounding property is still considered to be the land owners even though the entire property may not have a fence around it's perimeter? I know it sounds kind of unrealistic but I figured I'd give it a whirl.

 

[vpnavy]

Okay, this is the best I got. He made a fence around the whole group...

You are so darn close to the correct answer. HINT: Stay with the fence!

 

[Backbacon]

He made a fence around himself

 

[vpnavy]

A farmer challenges an engineer, a physicist, and a mathematician to fence off the largest amount of area using the least amount of fence.

The engineer made his fence in a circle and said it was the most efficient.

The physicist made a long line and said that the length was infinite. Then he said that fencing half of the Earth was the best.

The mathematician laughed at the others and with his design, beat the others.

What did the mathematician do?

He made a fence around himself

Correct!

The mathematician made a small fence around himself and declared himself to be on the outside.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's!

 

[Crispin]

Well done BackBacon! I always overcomplicate things, lol. Maybe I'll get tomorrow's.

 

[Uncle Jeff]

Ahh that was mean vpnavy grrr .. and for that double grrrr