Minnesota
February 4th 2005, 03:56 PM
The health of China's grand emperor was failing fast, and because he valued each of his four children equally, he decided to divide the country among them, each would have an equal amount of territory to govern. But knowing that the country must have a single ruler, he devised a test to determine which of the four it would be.
Gathering them together, he gave each an outline map of the country, and told them that each must divide the country into four, exactly equal realms, and that each of the realms must border the new royal city, which could be built anywhere they chose. This project, he told them, was to be completed by sundown, and that upon presentation of their maps, they would have to prove that all four of the newly devised realms were, indeed, equal in area. Whoever first and accurately completed the task would be named future emperor of China.
To get an idea of what he had in mind, he also presented them with a sample map of the royal city and four proposed realms (this map fails because the realms are not equal in area).
[attachment]
click to enlarge
Within an hour, Sue Hui Ying returned with her completed map. Looking it over and questioning its accuracy, the emperor was so impressed with his daughter's cleverness and proof, that he not only declared her to be the next ruler of China, but allowed her to take power immediately.
How did Sue Hui Ying do it? (She did not use any advanced math)
Gathering them together, he gave each an outline map of the country, and told them that each must divide the country into four, exactly equal realms, and that each of the realms must border the new royal city, which could be built anywhere they chose. This project, he told them, was to be completed by sundown, and that upon presentation of their maps, they would have to prove that all four of the newly devised realms were, indeed, equal in area. Whoever first and accurately completed the task would be named future emperor of China.
To get an idea of what he had in mind, he also presented them with a sample map of the royal city and four proposed realms (this map fails because the realms are not equal in area).
[attachment]
click to enlarge
Within an hour, Sue Hui Ying returned with her completed map. Looking it over and questioning its accuracy, the emperor was so impressed with his daughter's cleverness and proof, that he not only declared her to be the next ruler of China, but allowed her to take power immediately.
How did Sue Hui Ying do it? (She did not use any advanced math)