Is math genius Ian Stewart's new challenge for you? The renowned UK mathematician has crafted three puzzling geometrical puzzles that will put your logic to the test. Will you rise to the occasion or struggle with these brain-twisting tiles?
The first puzzle, 'Bonnie Tiler', requires 11 of Stewart's specially designed tiles to cover a 33-cell grid without any gaps or overlaps. Can you figure out if it's possible to fill the entire grid using these tiles? The answer lies in understanding the geometric properties of the tiles and how they can be arranged.
Next up, 'Assembly Needed' presents a shape that can be divided into four identical pieces along black lines. However, Stewart is challenging you to find an alternative way to cut the shape, potentially by rotating or reflecting the pieces, resulting in a square. Does this seemingly impossible feat prove your problem-solving skills?
The third puzzle, 'Pizza Party', offers two different ways to divide three pizzas among five people, each with unique piece sizes. The question: what's the smallest number of pieces required for everyone to receive an identical and even share? Can you unravel the math behind these seemingly trivial divisions?
Ian Stewart's book, 'Reaching for the Extreme,' is out on February 12, exploring various mathematical concepts in a fascinating and engaging narrative style. To celebrate the launch, Stewart shared three puzzles that will test your analytical skills. Will you be able to solve them?
The first puzzle, 'Bonnie Tiler', requires 11 of Stewart's specially designed tiles to cover a 33-cell grid without any gaps or overlaps. Can you figure out if it's possible to fill the entire grid using these tiles? The answer lies in understanding the geometric properties of the tiles and how they can be arranged.
Next up, 'Assembly Needed' presents a shape that can be divided into four identical pieces along black lines. However, Stewart is challenging you to find an alternative way to cut the shape, potentially by rotating or reflecting the pieces, resulting in a square. Does this seemingly impossible feat prove your problem-solving skills?
The third puzzle, 'Pizza Party', offers two different ways to divide three pizzas among five people, each with unique piece sizes. The question: what's the smallest number of pieces required for everyone to receive an identical and even share? Can you unravel the math behind these seemingly trivial divisions?
Ian Stewart's book, 'Reaching for the Extreme,' is out on February 12, exploring various mathematical concepts in a fascinating and engaging narrative style. To celebrate the launch, Stewart shared three puzzles that will test your analytical skills. Will you be able to solve them?
I mean, don't get me wrong, math genius Ian Stewart is all cool and stuff but come on, can't he just leave us alone for one sec?! We're trying to live our lives here, not solve puzzles all day long 
And what's up with the grid thingy? Bonnie Tiler sounds like something my grandma would try to make for her bridge club, not some actual brain-twisting puzzle 
I swear if I have to think about how many tiles are needed to cover a 33-cell grid one more time, I'm gonna lose it... and don't even get me started on the pizza division thing, what's so hard about dividing pizzas?! 
"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt 
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in the movie Clueless. It's all about understanding geometry, patterns, and logical thinking. I'd love to give them a try, but those tiles in Bonnie Tiler look super finicky 
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. I remember doing these kinds of problems back in school and it was a real challenge, but now it just feels like child's play. These tiles and shapes, they're all just so... predictable. Where's the creativity? The problem-solving skills that actually require you to think outside the box? I mean, I'll give Ian Stewart credit, he's still got some serious math chops, but come on, can't we have a puzzle that actually takes us by surprise for once? 
i've been trying 'Bonnie Tiler' for hours and my brain is dead 
anyone have any tips on how to tackle this thing? i feel like i need an extra life 
. Bonnie Tiler has me stumped already lol, but idk what i'd do without a good challenge to sink my teeth into 
. anyone else wanna give these puzzles a shot and show off their problem-solving skills? 
. The key is to break it down and think about symmetry... it's like solving a jigsaw puzzle, but with shapes 
. Don't try to force your brain into it; just let the logic sink in 
. And no, it's not all about memorization - you gotta understand why something works or doesn't 
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it's gonna take some serious thinking and problem-solving skills to crack this one...
but once we finally got it, we high-fived each other 
. And Assembly Needed? That one's got some serious brain-twisting going on 
but it made me realize how easily we can break down complex problems into smaller parts 
but at the same time, i appreciate the creativity behind these puzzles - they're like little brain teasers that challenge your thinking 
. Has anyone even tried to solve these puzzles yet?
need 2 focus on makin positive change 4 our planet & its inhabitants rather than tryin 2 solve math puzzles all day 
. "Come and play with our cool math puzzles" 
. Give me a break. I bet the answer to Bonnie Tiler is just some obvious geometric property, no big deal 
. It's probably just about finding an alternative way to cut the shape... wow, what a brain-twister