Applications question

[mellifluent]

Not even sure where to start with this one.

The upper left hand corner of a piece of paper 8cm wide by 12cm long is folded over to the right hand edge. How would you fold it if you wished to maximize the length of the fold?

 

[TchrWill]

Not even sure where to start with this one.

The upper left hand corner of a piece of paper 8cm wide by 12cm long is folded over to the right hand edge. How would you fold it if you wished to maximize the length of the fold?

My first guess would be along the diagonal of the sheet making the length of the fold sqrt(8^2 + 12^2).

 

[galactus]

Will is correct. The minimum length can be obtained by folding the tip of the upper left hand corner till it touches the tip of the lower right hand corner.

 

[TchrWill]

Galactus writes;

Will is correct. The minimum length can be obtained by folding the tip of the upper left hand corner till it touches the tip of the lower right hand corner.

Wouln't the minimum length be folding the upper left hand corner down to the lower left hand corner, 8cm?

 

[galactus]

I don't think so Will. That would be folding it in half. I was picturing folding the upper left corner to some point on the right edge in order to maximize. I believe that is just folding it diagonally from the upper left down to the lower right.

 

[TchrWill]

I don't think so Will. That would be folding it in half. I was picturing folding the upper left corner to some point on the right edge in order to maximize. I believe that is just folding it diagonally from the upper left down to the lower right.

The "MINIMUM" crease length would be obtained by folding the upper left corner down to the lower left corner. Folding the upper left corner to any point along the right edge would create a crease longer than 8cm.

What am I missing?