An interesting construction

Geometry Level 5

It is known that the A-series paper retains a ratio of 2 \sqrt{2} when folded in half lengthwise. However, other folds may yield interesting results of their own. Fold a piece of paper as such:

For which ratios of paper sizes are the final product also of the same ratio as the original? Enter your answer as the sum of all possible ratios.


The answer is 3.032.

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1 solution

David Vreken
Aug 24, 2019

Let rectangle A B C D ABCD be the paper with a width of x x and a length of y y so that A B = C D = x AB = CD = x and A D = B C = y AD = BC = y . Let E E be the intersection of folds on B C BC , F F be the intersection of folds on C D CD , and G G be the intersection of folds on A D AD .

From the first fold we have B E = A B = x BE = AB = x , and from the second fold we have C F = C E = B C B E = y x CF = CE = BC - BE = y - x , and from the third fold we have D G = D F = C D C F = x ( y x ) = 2 x y DG = DF = CD - CF = x - (y - x) = 2x - y . Since triangles C E F \triangle CEF and D G F \triangle DGF are right isosceles triangles, E F = 2 ( y x ) EF = \sqrt{2}(y - x) and F G = 2 ( 2 x y ) FG = \sqrt{2}(2x - y) .

For the ratio of the final product to be the same as the original, either y x = 2 ( 2 x y ) 2 ( y x ) \frac{y}{x} = \frac{\sqrt{2}(2x - y)}{\sqrt{2}(y - x)} or y x = 2 ( y x ) 2 ( 2 x y ) \frac{y}{x} = \frac{\sqrt{2}(y - x)}{\sqrt{2}(2x - y)} . The first solves to y = 2 x y = \sqrt{2}x for a paper ratio of y x = 2 \frac{y}{x} = \sqrt{2} , and the second solves to y = 1 + 5 2 x y = \frac{1 + \sqrt{5}}{2}x for a paper ratio of y x = 1 + 5 2 \frac{y}{x} = \frac{1 + \sqrt{5}}{2} .

Therefore, the sum of all possible ratios is 2 + 1 + 5 2 3.032 \sqrt{2} + \frac{1 + \sqrt{5}}{2} \approx \boxed{3.032} .

It is worth noting that in both ratios there are two solutions, i.e. for y x = 2 \frac{y}{x}=\sqrt{2} , there's also a solution y x = 2 \frac{y}{x}=-\sqrt{2} , and for y x = 1 + 5 2 \frac{y}{x}=\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2} , there is y x = 1 5 2 \frac{y}{x}=\frac{1-\sqrt{5}}{2} . However, since the two alternate solutions are negative, and the ratio is between two positive values and is thus necessarily positive, they are both rejected.

Wesley Low - 1 year, 9 months ago

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I want to add something. For the ratio of 1 + 5 2 \frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2} , following the folding pattern doesn't return a rectangle.

Atomsky Jahid - 1 year, 4 months ago

Do we get a rectangle when the ratio is 1 + 5 2 \frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2} ?

Atomsky Jahid - 1 year, 4 months ago

Yes, for a rectangle with a ratio of 1 + 5 2 \frac{1+ \sqrt{5}}{2} , I suppose one more fold would be necessary to make it a rectangle with the same ratio as its original:

David Vreken - 1 year, 4 months ago

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Yes, that's the problem. One more fold is necessary.

Atomsky Jahid - 1 year, 4 months ago

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