MATHEMATICS TASK CENTRE PROJECT

- SPHINX -

INTO THE ICEBERG

This is the Size 1 Sphinx:

Sphinx - Size 1

It is made of 6 unit equilateral triangles.

Four of the Size 1 Sphinxes make the Size 2 Sphinx:

Sphinx - Size 2

And since this new Sphinx demonstrates that four Sphinxes make a Sphinx, then four Size 2 Sphinxes will make another, larger Sphinx which will be Size 4.

 

PAUSE HERE TO PRINT MORE SPHINX SHAPES.

TRY THE SIZE 4 PROBLEM.

 

Of course it follows that four Size 4 Sphinxes will make a Size 8 and so on.

You might also imagine Size 1 being made from 4 smaller Sphinxes and each of those from 4 smaller Sphinxes and so on!

Further interest is generated by asking:

If we can make Sizes 1, 2, & 4, is it possible to make Size 3

- and if it is -

how many Sphinx shapes would be needed?

 

PAUSE HERE TO PRINT MORE SPHINX SHAPES.

TRY THE SIZE 3 PROBLEM.

 

At this point you could move on to the next link, but without actually struggling with the problem yourself you will not appreciate the significant difference between the Size 4 problem and the Size 3 problem which you might expect to be easier.