Ruth Poovey's List: Math

• Approximately 15 to 20 uniform, flat, and rectangular blocks.
• 15 minutes or more

•   

  By considering the positions of the centers of gravity of the blocks as the stack is built, it can be shown that the first block  will be moved 1/2 of a block length along the second block, the top two blocks will be moved 1/4 of a block length along the third  block, the top three blocks will be moved 1/6 of a block length along the fourth block, the top four blocks will be moved 1/8 of a  block length along the fifth block, and so on. Do you see the pattern?

    

  How far will the nth block be moved along the block below it? The answer is: 1/2n of a block length along the n  + 1 block.

  • Algebra, patterns
• If you want to have some fun,
• Practice this a few times first, though!

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