Cut the central square out of a 5x5 grid of 25 squares. Can you make a single cut through the resulting shape so that the two pieces can be arranged, by various folds, into the surface of a 2x2x2 cube? (A "cut" is a piecewise linear cut.)
Source: Quantum, Sept/Oct 1998
This is the last problem of this semester. As usual, these have been a blast to oversee and I thank everyone who has helped. We start up again at the end of January. Problem suggestions are always welcome (with solutions please!) Thanks especially to the Math Forum at Swarthmore for taking over the POW web site, which I hope some of you will find a useful resource.
The Putnam Competition is this Saturday. I know some of you try to do the Putnam problems quickly, and solutions sent here for showing to our students are appreciated.
Again this summer Ed Packel and I will be teaching a week-long Mathematica course -- Rocky Mountain Mathematica -- in the mountains of Colorado. If you would like a printed (or electronic) flier, send me your address (or e-address). Or see our web page.
Results of the MAA/North-Central Section Math Contest
On November 14, 1998, 36 teams from 19 institutions in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Manitoba took part in the MAA/North-Central Section Math Contest. Questions were posed and graded by Gerald Heuer, Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn.
1. Macalester College 1 98 (out of 100) Tamas Nemeth, John Renze, Vahe Poladian 2. Carleton College 1 90 3. N. Dakota St. U. 66 4. Carleton 2 65 5. U. Minnesota 1 64 6. U. Minnesota 2 62 7. Macalester 2 61 Jan Jamrich, Bill Owens, Emilia Simeonova 8. Northern St. U.(S. Dak) 53 9. St. Olaf College 52 10. Carleton 3 51© Copyright 1998 Stan Wagon. Reproduced with permission.