AIMS Puzzle Corner  Tri-Bar

Impossible figures such as the one in this puzzle have long intrigued mathematicians and non-mathematicians alike. The tri-bar presented in this month's Puzzle Corner is just one of a large family of impossible figures which present perplexing visual paradoxes.

How many blocks would it take to make the tri-bar in the picture at right?

Download this puzzle in PDF format.
(requires Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later)

Tri-bar Trauma (268k)

Tribar Illustration