OxBowBusiness: What shape is this?

01 March 2007

What shape is this?

Here's a tricky one for at least one of our readers so let me share it with you.

Take a piece of paper and a pencil or pen.

Put the pencil on the page and draw a horizontal and straight line from right to left for a length of 7.5 centimetres. Keep the pencil on the paper and dnow draw another straight line but upwards at an angle of 30 degrees for a length of 4 centimetres. Keeping the pencil on the paper now draw a horizontal and straight line 3 cm long. Still keeping the pencil on the paper complete the shape by joing the two lines that are surrently unjoined.

Don't worry if your shape is a bit skewed but it should be regular: what is the name of the shape you have drawn?

Don't be shy, just write in! Then I will reveal all.

OK, this is proving a little tricky for everyone. Here is the shape you should get if you follow my instructions ... now, what is this shape called?

There is a good reason behind this apparent utter nonsense!