Many people can make a five pointed star by manipulating a rubber band in their hands. When the star is complete, the five points go around five fingers. However, there is a way to create a star design such that only three fingers touch the rubber band. Can you do it?
(In reply to
re: 5 points, if you'd rather... by Richard)
unfortunately i don't have geometer's sketchpad, nor am i html-savvy enough to come up with anything more sophisticated than ascii right now. I could try to explain in words how this shape is achieved, though. So here goes (Note: this is the mirror of my ascii drawing):
1) make a triangle using your thumb (T) and first two fingers pointing at yourself so the two fingers are above and to either side (L and R) of the thumb.
2) Loop your rubber band around T. [Note: The rest is symmetrical, in case you get lost]
3) There are now one strand of the rubber band on either side of T. Take the strand to the right, and loop it counter-clockwise around L (it should pass to the right of L). Likewise, take the strand to the left of T and loop it clockwise around R.
4a) Next, take the strand looped around L and loop it clockwise around R.
4b) Likewise, take the first strand that you looped around R (in step 3), and loop it around L counter-clockwise.
Now you're done. The remaining strand should now connect the bottoms of L and R. I hope this was helpful ;).
re(2): 5 points, if you'd rather...
