# Starburst aren't cubes!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 20, 2002, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126 "2002-12-20T22:31:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/1 "2002-12-20T22:31:38Z")
OK, it’s pretty lame for a first pit rant, but it irks me to no end that new starburst commecials say: “They’re not square, they’re three-dimensional CUBES!” Nitwits! Look at your product… Then take a 3rd grade geometry class. Then tell me again what shape they are. OK? I’ll admit rectangular prism doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but come on now… ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/2 "2002-12-20T22:36:29Z")
I’d like to weigh in here in the name of geek solidarity. In memory of our times in M:tG threads and other geekly issues, I join you in denouncing the evils of such ignorant advertising. So we typed day and night by the 60hz flicker they have the candy but we have geometry Peace, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/3 "2002-12-20T22:38:18Z")
Maybe the “cubes” are the nitwits who write that stuff in the ad houses? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/4 "2002-12-20T22:52:14Z")
Who in the hell has ever mistaken one for a two-dimensional square anyway? I have never seen anyone try to mail a letter with one by mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/5 "2002-12-20T23:06:35Z")
Why can’t they be cubes? A square is a rectangle, right? Can the same principle be applied to 3 dimensional objects? ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/6 "2002-12-20T23:14:08Z")
:eek: Ender: Umm square are a special case of a rectangle. A rectangle is defined as any object with two sets of opposite parrallelelllelel (yes I can’t spell that word) sides. A square is defined as a rectangle where all sides are of equal length. So a square IS a rectangle. But by definition a rectangle isn’t a square. A starburst is a rectangular solid because L, W, H are not all equal values. And if they aren’t all equal values it’s not a cube. It’s a rectangular solid. If a starburst was made where length width and height were all the same value with it would be both a cube and a rectangular solid, but it isn’t, so it aint. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/7 "2002-12-20T23:17:42Z")
Sorry, may have jumped the gun… but I was expecting there to be a follow up of: If squares are rectangles, then rectangles are squares so starbursts are square! ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/8 "2002-12-20T23:20:34Z")
Or, you could call them a square prism (which is a subset of rectangular prisms). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/9 "2002-12-20T23:44:22Z")
Cuboid What’s all this rectangular prism stuff I keep seeing; we called 'em cuboids when I was a lad. Aye it were reet grand in them days. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/10 "2002-12-20T23:45:47Z")
Thank you **CRorex**. I knew that a square is a rectangle but a rectangle is not a square. The problem was that I have been misinterpreting that phrase. I assumed that a square covered any type of object with four straight sides but those with four 90 degree angles and unequal sides were more properly refered to as rectangles. Thus, I assumed that an object with L:5 and W:3 could be refered to as a square but it was more proper to call it a rectangle. Therein lay my confusion. So the more accurate statement would be: A square is a (type of) rectangle but a rectangle is not a square (most of the time). ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/11 "2002-12-21T00:09:48Z")
um. maybe they meant that each rectangular prism is composed of cubes, fused together so as to appear as one big piece? no? huh. well, I tried. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/12 "2002-12-21T00:36:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enderw24 \* > \*\*Thank you **CRorex**. I knew that a square is a rectangle but a rectangle is not a square. The problem was that I have been misinterpreting that phrase. > I assumed that a square covered any type of object with four straight sides but those with four 90 degree angles and unequal sides were more properly refered to as rectangles. > > Thus, I assumed that an object with L:5 and W:3 could be refered to as a square but it was more proper to call it a rectangle. Therein lay my confusion. > > So the more accurate statement would be: A square is a (type of) rectangle but a rectangle is not a square (most of the time). \*\* My apologies, I should have reacted less shocked. ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/13 "2002-12-21T01:52:06Z")
This has got to be the geekiest thread I have ever seen in the Pit. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/14 "2002-12-21T06:07:54Z")
Ah you see, when you stick two them together you get a cube. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/15 "2002-12-21T06:14:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diane \* > \*\*This has got to be the geekiest thread I have ever seen in the Pit. 😃 \*\* Oh yeah!! In total agreement \*\*Diane{/b]. ;j ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/16 "2002-12-21T06:17:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CRorex \* > A rectangle is defined as any object with two sets of opposite parrallelelllelel (yes I can’t spell that word) sides. Ultra-nitpicky: A quadrilateral is a polygon of four sides. A quadrilateral whose opposite sides are parallell (can’t spell that either) is a parallellogram. A parallellogram whose angles are all 90 degrees is a rectangle. A rectangle whose sides are all the same length is a square. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/17 "2002-12-21T06:47:07Z")
**friedo** , you forgot: A parallelogram with all four sides the same length is a rhombus. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/18 "2002-12-21T07:05:19Z")
A regular solid with six congruent square faces which is filled by pitiless cyborgs bent on assimilation is a Borg Cube. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/19 "2002-12-21T07:23:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iamthewalrus(:3= \* > \*\ ***friedo** , you forgot: > A parallelogram with all four sides the same length is a rhombus. \*\* Yes but…we were doing the taxonomy of a Square. Rombii branch off in a whole 'nother direction. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126/20 "2002-12-21T08:19:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*Yes but…we were doing the taxonomy of a Square. Rombii branch off in a whole 'nother direction. 🙂 \*\* Ah. Further evidence of punctuated equilibrium. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starburst-arent-cubes/144126.md?page=2)