Using straight lines, dissect an isosceles triangle with sides 42, 42, and 21, into six smaller triangles, all similar to the original but with no two of equal sizes.

(In reply to re: possible solution by brianjn)

I was very lucky to stumble on the method right away, though as usual I misread the problem and made the heights, rather than the sides, of the triangles twice the length of their bases - this makes a difference of a few critical degrees between the angles of the 'top' and 'bottom' triangles and the others'.

Once I had rectified this error, the solution was much easier!

Posted by broll on 2012-02-15 15:07:41