Where the hell is that square???

There really probably is no solution that any non mathmatitions would accept...

Does anybody remember this problem, I probably brought it up before...

3 men go into a shop, to buy a Bon Jovi vinal, they pay £18 for it. After they've left, the guy who sold it to them realised that there was a discount on that, and it was only £13. So he sent out a shop clark to give them the £5. becuase there was 3 of them, and he didn't have change, he decided he'd give each of them a pound, and keep two for himself.....

so the maths is
3 guys pay £6 each but get one pound back. 3*5 = 15
plus £2 for the clark..
it cost £17

if you follow this, you'll notice there's £1 lost... There's a mathmatical explanation, but it's all balls, it makes no sence, and I think that maths people just come up with a lode of rubbish so that people continue to think maths is accurate, and works.

crazy

lol.... I understand how imaginary numbers can exist... I can understand numerous difficult mathmatical concepts, but (3*5)-2 just doesn't make any sence!

18 (the amount of money involved) = 13 (the actual price) + 3 (the amount refunded) + 2 (the amount pocketed)

and regarding the original problem: the shape isn't actually a triangle since the gradients of the hypotenuse of the two smaller triangles are different.

I dunno, I still have problems with this one, even with valid explanations.

I think it's because I can't visualise it at all.... I can see where an imaginary number fits in, how it works, but this just doesn't for me....
If I sit down with 18 coins, and work through it, and worked through it forwards and backwards, I'd be missing this one coin still....

They paid £15 for the record. £2 of this went to the shopkeeper, and £13 was the actual price. The £2 is included in the £15, not added on to it.

i get what krb says - it makes sense - but i see how confusing it is

I thought this was the best place in the world, no maths at all, but now all the suddenly my world has been demolished...
all day long I'm calculating math, and it feels so nice to come to this board, but now...

krb solution is according to me the most valid one, and quite easy to understand.

and finialy, this is not difficult problem, its just a way of thinking (both problems).

Thx Sara I was thinking about it the whole day but couldn't find a solution. Now I just tested it: the triangles aren't similar so it can't be a straight line. (3/2=1.5 8/5=1.6)
You saved me from another sleepless night (I can't stand it when I don't get such things)

PS: sorry eriK - but I I had the feeling anyone here would know it

its okay... sometimes math can be fun.