[bonanova]

I have some golf balls, some identical coins, and some pencils.

I want to place them on a table in groups so that each object touches all the others in that group.

How large can the group be, in each case?

Note there are three answers here.

[Guest]

if corner to corner is good enough, you could offset each coin by half it's width to get rid of the center square.

I get it. Sort of a "pinwheel" look? Then plop one on top and you have 5. I think that would require some glue or seriously steady hands and perfectly formed edges on the coins, of course.

I still haven't wrapped my head around the "lean 2 of them" clue from BN. <_<

Edited March 5, 2009 by Grayven

[Izzy]

Please explain

I can't get past 4. By adding the fifth coin, I invariably separate two of the coins. Please describe the 5 coin solution?

Take a coin, lay it flat on the table. Take two more coins, lie them end to end (flat) and center them on the coin already laying down. Now take two more coins and make them make a tent-shape over the three coins, touching at the top and touching all the other coins.

[Guest]

Take a coin, lay it flat on the table. Take two more coins, lie them end to end (flat) and center them on the coin already laying down. Now take two more coins and make them make a tent-shape over the three coins, touching at the top and touching all the other coins.

Thank you.

[Guest]

well you only said identical coins so

you can do eight shown

here

[bonanova]

well you only said identical coins so

you can do eight shown

here

Nice!