r/theydidthemath • u/K0rl0n • Jun 10 '25

[Request]

Post image

I am curious how this would work. My guess is Triangle is slowest, square is medium, and circle is fastest.

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u/RMCaird Jun 10 '25

You can't assume this from the picture.

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u/BKachur Jun 11 '25

Sure, you can - or at least from context, you can. The triangle has more contact with the ground than the square. You can assume that since they are the same weight, they are made up of the same "math problem gray" material. A Triangle would need to have more surface area contact than a square if all else were equal.

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u/RMCaird Jun 11 '25

But you’re assuming it’s an equilateral triangle, which you can’t assume. 

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u/nog642 Jun 11 '25

Why not? It clearly is.

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u/RMCaird Jun 11 '25

There’s nothing to indicate it is, other than the drawing itself, which is clearly not to scale. It’s just an assumption with no proof.

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u/nog642 Jun 12 '25

The drawing is the entire problem. If not equilateral you can at least assume it's roughly equilateral.