Connecting Colored Boxes on the Plane

Imgur Imgur

Place any number of colored boxes on the infinite plane. You have to connect similarly colored boxes, so boxes of each color form a single cycle (each colored box is connected to two similarly colored boxes).

Given that boxes do not touch each other, prove that it is always possible to connect the boxes in this manner such that there are no intersections between the connecting lines.

Inspired by Connecting Colored Boxes. However, that problem is different in nature because it is contained in a finite plane and some boxes are on the edge of that plane.

#Geometry #Brainteasers #Cycles #LogicPuzzles #NoIntersections

Note by Daniel Liu
6 years, 11 months ago

No vote yet
1 vote

  Easy Math Editor

This discussion board is a place to discuss our Daily Challenges and the math and science related to those challenges. Explanations are more than just a solution — they should explain the steps and thinking strategies that you used to obtain the solution. Comments should further the discussion of math and science.

When posting on Brilliant:

  • Use the emojis to react to an explanation, whether you're congratulating a job well done , or just really confused .
  • Ask specific questions about the challenge or the steps in somebody's explanation. Well-posed questions can add a lot to the discussion, but posting "I don't understand!" doesn't help anyone.
  • Try to contribute something new to the discussion, whether it is an extension, generalization or other idea related to the challenge.
  • Stay on topic — we're all here to learn more about math and science, not to hear about your favorite get-rich-quick scheme or current world events.

MarkdownAppears as
*italics* or _italics_ italics
**bold** or __bold__ bold

- bulleted
- list

  • bulleted
  • list

1. numbered
2. list

  1. numbered
  2. list
Note: you must add a full line of space before and after lists for them to show up correctly
paragraph 1

paragraph 2

paragraph 1

paragraph 2

[example link](https://brilliant.org)example link
> This is a quote
This is a quote
    # I indented these lines
    # 4 spaces, and now they show
    # up as a code block.

    print "hello world"
# I indented these lines
# 4 spaces, and now they show
# up as a code block.

print "hello world"
MathAppears as
Remember to wrap math in \( ... \) or \[ ... \] to ensure proper formatting.
2 \times 3 2×3 2 \times 3
2^{34} 234 2^{34}
a_{i-1} ai1 a_{i-1}
\frac{2}{3} 23 \frac{2}{3}
\sqrt{2} 2 \sqrt{2}
\sum_{i=1}^3 i=13 \sum_{i=1}^3
\sin \theta sinθ \sin \theta
\boxed{123} 123 \boxed{123}

Comments

Connect the boxes of the same color in a cycle (in any order). Do it for all colors. Then all nodes have degree 22. Hence by Kuratowski's theorem the resulting graph is planar.

Abhishek Sinha - 6 years, 11 months ago

Log in to reply

Hey! I want to know something about you....How did you get to MIT ?means by giving SAT or something else...

Archiet Dev - 6 years, 10 months ago

Hey Hello!

Archiet Dev - 6 years, 10 months ago

Hey Daniel Liu! your post looksgood as always but oftenly your image does'nt read correctly on my phone, the picture did'nt show up. So try to change the web you are saving those picture, i think it's.. not only happen to me.

Hafizh Ahsan Permana - 6 years, 11 months ago

Log in to reply

Chances are, if the image isn't reading, then it's a problem on your phone or on brilliant's phone app. Sorry for the inconvenience :\

Daniel Liu - 6 years, 11 months ago
×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...