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Buried Treasure

Posers and Puzzles

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A treasure is buried in a square field such that it is 2 miles from one corner, 3 from the next, and four from the next corner. What is the area of the field?

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Originally posted by royalchicken
A treasure is buried in a square field such that it is 2 miles from one corner, 3 from the next, and four from the next corner. What is the area of the field?
6 miles by 6 miles?

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Originally posted by UncleAdam
6 miles by 6 miles?
No....not 6x6...how did you solve it...possibly you have just made a small error.

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Originally posted by royalchicken
No....not 6x6...how did you solve it...possibly you have just made a small error.
it looks something like this right?

- - 3 - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
2 - T - - 4
- - - - - -

with the T for the
treasure and the - for a mile and a # for where the # would come from to get there

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Originally posted by UncleAdam
it looks something like this right?

- - 3 - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
2 - T - - 4
- - - - - -

with the T for the
treasure and the - for a mile and a # for where the # would come from to get there
Distances from corners. Measured on diagonals. 4 > 3.

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Originally posted by royalchicken
Distances from corners. Measured on diagonals. 4 > 3.
Oh, I mised that part, this is hard

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18 sq. miles

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25

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Originally posted by bbarr
18 sq. miles
Very good, bbarr. 10+3*sqrt(7) =~ 17.9

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Originally posted by royalchicken
Very good, bbarr. 10+3*sqrt(7) =~ 17.9
2 tangent circles of 2 miles and 4 miles intersect about 3.162 miles from either remaining corners. Area of said square is 17.9999. Math never works! 😛

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Originally posted by Phlabibit
2 tangent circles of 2 miles and 4 miles intersect about 3.162 miles from either remaining corners. Area of said square is 17.9999. Math never works! 😛
Nice try

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Originally posted by waldorf
Nice try
Good luck finding that treasure because that gives you 4 possible locations in a field to dig with an area of a 1/4 mile each. I'll take the map please!

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Originally posted by Phlabibit
Good luck finding that treasure because that gives you 4 possible locations in a field to dig with an area of a 1/4 mile each. I'll take the map please!
Good answer

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Originally posted by Phlabibit
2 tangent circles of 2 miles and 4 miles intersect about 3.162 miles from either remaining corners. Area of said square is 17.9999. Math never works! 😛
Erm...you have two triangles, one having sides of length 2, 3, x, and the other 3, 4, x. (X is side of square.) Finding the areas of each triangle and noting y^+z^2 = 9 (where y and z are the heights of these triangles) gives:

x^4 - 20x^2 + 37 =0

or x^2 = 10 + 3*Sqrt(7).

There are 8 possible places, four corners, two directions.

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Originally posted by royalchicken
Erm...you have two triangles, one having sides of length 2, 3, x, and the other 3, 4, x. (X is side of square.) blah blah blah.... gives:

x^4 - 20x^2 + 37 =0

or x^2 = 10 + 3*Sqrt(7).

There are 8 possible places, four corners, two directions.
I hope you use your Math for all that is good and right!

Yes, 8 locations it is. If you care, check it out.

www.riwire.com/images/8treasures.jpg
😉