Esra#1

[lordly_dragon]

ESRA or encyclopedie du savoir relatif et absolu (translate to: encyclopedia of relative and absolute knowledge) enigma number 1:

with 6 equally sized matches do 4 equilateral triangles

[CK9]

easy, square with an x on it

[Hooman]

A square with an X on it has 90 degree angles where the two lines of the X cross, thus making your triangles non equilateral.


I can make 4 with some lines sticking out in weird places. Looks kinda like the Zelda triforce except not as neat looking because of the messy lines. Or adjust the lines a little so it looks like two hour glasses next to each other. Of course you get a rhombus in the middle then.


Two at an angle like: /
Two at an angle like: \
Two at an angle like: _


Let me try my hand as ASCII graphics.

_______
\..../\..../
..\/....\/
../\..../\
/....\/....\
-----------


 

[lordly_dragon]

nop wrong answer... If you had longer matches you could have done the zelda symbol...but this is not the good answer ... because your ascii dont permit me to conclude so ...

[CK9]

okay, how about this:  with 3 of the matches each, make two triangles laying on top of one another, 1 pointing up, the other pointing down.  The tip of one would be on the base of the other, and you would have 4 small equilateral triangles

[Hooman]

That's basically what my picture is of. Kinda looks like two hour glasses side by side. (The second idea I mentioned that isn't the zelda triangle type of thing).

Mind you both solutions do more than just form the 4 equilateral triangles. They either for additional shapes, or have lines hanging off.
 

[lordly_dragon]

are you refering to the david star (yknow the easy way to do a star with pen and paper)

A draw a eq triangle

B draw thesame triangle that you rotaded 180 and then match them?

If yes then you got it right actually thisgive 8 eq triangles

but the basic answer related to this one was based upon perception


2d vs 3d

people would seek deep in the 2d and the answer is simply a triangle based pyramid (off course the base is eq).

 

[Hooman]

I counted 6 equilateral triangles in the star of david. But yeah, it's easy enough to get rid of two by shifting the triangles further apart.

Mind you the 3d solution seems much cleaner and a much nicer answer to the riddle.
 

[Chandler]

I've heard this one before - you make a tetrahedron.

[lordly_dragon]

exactly the good answer =) I forgot to mention something tho (shame to me) the tri must be of the SAME size.

Here is another. With the same 6 matches do 8 of the triangles (equi, Isometric)

hint: you have 6 matches but can use other material as long as you don't CUT the matches (they must remain intact)

[Chandler]

I forgot to mention something tho (shame to me) the tri must be of the SAME size.

No you didn't - you did specify equilateral.

[CK9]

burn them to ash, then makes the triangles with the ashes :heh:

but in all seriousness, put a mirror next to your tetrahedron

[lordly_dragon]

Great answer ck9 =) this is indeed the correct answer.

[Chandler]

Great answer ck9 =) this is indeed the correct answer.

Which one? The ashes or the mirror?

[lordly_dragon]

the mirror of course if you see 4 tri and put a mirror you can count two for every original triangle