You draw a square. Then, you draw the largest possible circle, tangent to all four sides. If the lower left corner of the square is at (0,0), and the sides of the square are parallel to the coordinate axis, the point (2,1) is on the circle, within the square.

What is the radius of the circle?

(In reply to semantics by Larry)

Larry, your dissection of the semantics is correct, but the question clearly defines "within the square" as not including "on" the square. If "on the square" counted, then the caveat "within the square" would be totally unnecessary. Obviously, any point on the circle is on or within the square -- no point on the circle exists outside the square. That Federico added the caveat, "within the square," suggests that 5, not 1, is the answer he's looking for.

Posted by Jyqm on 2006-11-25 20:05:58