Two puzzles
This is a resources post about my 2022 MathsJam talk, Two Puzzles.
Puzzle statements
(1). For what values of $n$ can $n$ one-ohm resistors be arranged to have an equivalent resistance of one ohm?
(No funny business: current must pass through each of the resistors.)
(2) For what values of $n$ can a square be divided into $n$ smaller squares?
(No funny business: squares must have positive side length, not overlap and leave no spaces.)
Background material
- The Milton Jones joke I borrowed
- Yummy golden syrup flapjack recipe
- Mrs Perkins’ Quilt at MathWorld
- Alaric Stephens on Mrs Perkins’ Quilt
- Alaric again on resistors (I heard something similar to puzzle 1 on Odds and Evenings, but haven’t found the episode.)
- How Bill Tutte and friends squared the square (significant spoiler)
- How young Bill tackled the problem
