Remove 6 lines convert to 2 squares...

[hmbdy3000]

The Lonesome Cowboy had a rectangular corral that was fenced into 6 individual pens with 17 fences. He wanted to remove exactly 6 fences to convert it into 2 aquare corrals for his horses. Which fences must he remove?

Imagine 3 squares on top and 3 on the bottom to make a rectangle. Each line is a fence.

 

[mmm4444bot]

If the pronoun "it" refers to the entire corral, then there is no answer.

So, I'm thinking that they want you to remove six fences such that two square areas remain fenced-in. In other words, part of the original corral will no longer be used.

Four of the small squares form one big square, yes?

Remove the four fences inside this big square.

Now, you have a big square next to two small squares, and you need to remove two more pieces of fence.

Look at your picture. It's obvious how to remove two more lines, in order to leave two square fenced-in areas.

 

[soroban]

Hello, hmbdy3000!

mmm4444bot nailed the solution . . .

The Lonesome Cowboy had a rectangular corral that was fenced into 6 individual pens with 17 fences.
He wanted to remove exactly 6 fences to convert it into 2 square corrals for his horses.
Which fences must he remove?

      *-----*-----*-----*
      |     |     |     |
      |     |     |     |
      *-----*-----*-----*
      |     |     |     |
      |     |     |     |
      *-----*-----*-----*

Note that it did not say "two equal square corrals."

Then one solution is:

      *-----*-----*-----*
      |     .     |     |
      |     .     |     |
      * . . . . . *-----*
      |     .     |     .
      |     .     |     .
      *-----*-----* . . .

 

[twinkieha2]

I know I might NOT be the BRIGHTEST bulb on the block...(I used to be one of them) but I hadn't even considered removing exterior fences!!! VERY GOOD, indeed!! You guys are GREAT...FUNNY...and INFORMATIVE...I just might have to stick around to re-kindle some of my brain cells! I'm LOVING IT!! Allyssa is only in 7th grade...I've got a LONG way to go...and SHE is the oldest one, there are 10 others younger than her!!! I'm thinking I'm gonna be "Camped Out" here for a few years!! I think I sprained my BRAIN over this last 4 day week-end!
twinkieha