Arrange 8 strips on plane to form 3 congruent squares

[Mustang1910]

__ ____
__ ____
__ ____
__ ____

Problem: The short strips above are half the size of the long ones. Arrange the eight strips on a plane so that they form 3 congruent squares.

I am stuck with this problem and would appreciate any help. Thanks!

 

[stapel]

For "strips", might one instead use "straws" or "toothpicks"?

Are you supposed to be arranging four full-length lines and four half-length lines to form three squares?

("Strips" implies length and width, so "size" is difficult to work with. I think you mean something more line-like, and you only care about length. If that is so, then of course we can talk in terms of arranging toothpicks. But I can't be sure of your meaning currently.)

Is there any limit on the squares? Can they be touching? Overlapping? Something else?

When you reply, please include all of your work and reasoning thus far. Thank you!

Eliz.

 

[Loren]

Two longs placed vertically. blue)
Two longs placed horizontally. (red)
One short one horizontal at top. (green)
One short one vertical on right end bottom row. (green)
With two short ones left over.

._
|_|_
|_|_|

 

[Mustang1910]

Stapel,
Not sure-this is the problem as the teacher gave it to us. Thanks!

Loren,
Thanks for your help. I appreciate it!

 

[Denis]

                   A      B
                   * * * *
                   *     *                   
                   *     *
            D* * * * * * *C
            *      *
            *      *
     F* * * * * * *E
     *      *
     *      *
     G* * * *H

There ya go.
AE, DH, DC, FE = longer
AB, BC, FG, GH = shorter

 

[Mustang1910]

Hi Denis....Thanks for the help!