Conference rusure::math

233.0. "pennies around a penny" by SPRITE::OSMAN () Fri Mar 08 1985 17:25

My interest in this problem is knowing WHETHER people already knew the
answer, and how people believe OTHERS tend to fare in this question.

The problem itself is a simple one to experiment or calculate the answer
of, namely:

	If you place pennies around a penny on a table top, so that all
	the outer ones touch the middle one, how many outer ones can fit
	in the ring ?  Do they fit exactly ?  Or is there space left over ?

I'd be interested in having people REPLY to this note with the following
information:

1)	Did you ALREADY know the answer to this before reading this note ?

2)	What percentage of people would you estimate would say "yes"
	to question 1 ?

In order to play fairly, you'll need to do your own REPLY before reading
the other responses.

In order not to skew the results of this survey towards "those people
that read the math notes file", it would help if people mentioned this
note to others.
(To the NOTES11> prompt, you can say MAIL user/SUBJ="something", which
might make it easier to do the mechanics of mentioning it to others.)

Thanks for participating !  /Eric

1) Yes. I've seen this problem before.

   It appears (among other places) on the cover of

   Charles T. Salkind, The Contest  Problem Book. Random House,
	New Mathematical Library. 1961.

2) No comment.

What ring?  :)

1.  I already know the answer, having seen the construction many times.
2.  About 93%.

1. I knew the answer.
2. I suspect much less than 93%

p.s.	Stan, you didn't answer question # 1.  I asked whether you already
	knew the ANSWER, not whether you already knew the PROBLEM.

1) Yes, I know the answer.

P.S. the problem I mention in .1 actually is a problem about nickels
     rather than pennies.

2) Still no comment.

1) yes
2) 80%

1) Yes.
                                            
2) People in central engineering - 90% or more?
   People in the "real" world - 50% or less?

    1. yes
    2. 30%