geometry puzzle

[cellio]

You're being too productive; let me help:

World's hardest easy geometry problem, forwarded by a coworker, allegedly solvable with pure geometry (no trigonometry).

Comments

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

This reminds me of my physics teacher's approach to solving any problem:

Step 1: Draw a diagram.
Step 2: Cross it out and draw a BIGGER diagram.
...

[cellio]

I did that. :-)

[caryabend.livejournal.com]

3) Repeat 1 and 2 as necessary.

4) Try not to be grumpy when your friend studying free market economics makes a killing on paper and writing supplies.

[cellio]

There comes a point when a whiteboard is the right tool. :-) (Ok, what I really want is a stack of transparencies, or the easy electronic equivalent...)

I've derived lots of additional factoids, but they have not yet led to a solution. I'm trying to figure out how to set up the multi-variable system of equations. :-)

[caryabend.livejournal.com]

multi-variable system of equations

I'm pretty sure that's not elementary geometry.

[cellio]

I wasn't sure if that was a legitimate approach (algebra came before geometry in my education), but I didn't go down that path because of the claim of "here is everything you need to know to solve this" farther down on the page (which doesn't mention equation-solving).

[magid.livejournal.com]

multi-variable system of equations

That's where I found myself, too.