# Middle School Math **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 18, 2003, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-school-math/155827 "2003-02-18T06:33:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mambozzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@mambozzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mambozzy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-school-math/155827/1 "2003-02-18T06:33:26Z")
Alright, back in seventh grade a sadistic math teacher presented us with a geometry problem. First, draw a large ‘H’. Then, using three straight lines, create seven triangles. I filled notebooks trying to figure this one out and for the life of me, I can’t get more than six three-sided figures. What do y’all think? -Ozzy:confused: ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-school-math/155827/2 "2003-02-18T06:41:07Z")
Draw the H. The points at the ends of the sides are A, B, C, and D. The points where the bar in the middle intersects are E and F. Let G be the midpoint of EF. Draw segments AG, BE, and BG. Let the intersection of BE and AG be H. The seven triangles are AHE, EGH, AGE, BEF, BFG, BEG, and BGH. ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-school-math/155827/3 "2003-02-18T06:49:12Z")
Are “triangles inside of triangles” allowed to be counted? For example, connect the top right of the H with the bottom left, and connect the top left of the H with the bottom right. Do it so that these two diagonals, along with the horizontal bar across the H, all intersect in a single point. That in itself gives you 6 triangles if you count _all_ of the triangles. From there, it’s easy to draw a third line and get seven (and more) triangles. ---
**Author:** ![mambozzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@mambozzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mambozzy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-school-math/155827/4 "2003-02-18T14:42:28Z")
:smack: D’oh, sorry, I forgot that detail. No, there are no triangles within triangles. You should be able to fill them in with seven different colors and end up with seven full colored triangles. Thanks. -Oz ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-school-math/155827/5 "2003-02-18T15:30:16Z")
This link purports to solve it though I really can’t follow the ASCII line drawing instructions. [H/3 puzzle solution](http://groups.google.com/groups?q=h/3+triangles&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=43a42k%24iun%40llnews.ll.mit.edu&rnum=2) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-school-math/155827/6 "2003-02-18T16:35:38Z")
Interesting. The solution I gave has exactly seven triangles, but some of them are inside each other. ---
**Author:** ![mambozzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@mambozzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mambozzy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-school-math/155827/7 "2003-02-18T17:06:18Z")
Astro - Good call. It took a few seconds to decipher but that’s the right answer. At last, I can sleep easy at night. -Oz ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/middle-school-math/155827/8 "2003-02-18T18:37:33Z")
Neat.