Assorted Brain Teasers by Kundan Pangtey - HTML preview

TEASER - 06

TOUCHING BALLS

How  many  balls  of  same  size  can  remain  in  touch  with  each other at the same time?

THE EXPLANATION:

On  a  two  dimensional  plane  (2D),  a  maximum  of  three  balls  can remain in touch with each other at a time.

THREE BALLS OF EQUAL SIZE ON A FLAT SURFACE (2D)

In  three  dimension  (3D),  a  maximum  number  of  four  balls  can remain  in  touch  with  each  other  at  a time  and form  a tetrahedron. Three balls together forming each face of a tetrahedron.

FOUR BALLS OF EQUAL SIZE IN A BOX (3D)

On  a  plane  (2D),  a  single  central  ball  can  remain  in  touch  with  a maximum of six balls of same size at a time, making an hexagonal shape.

SIX BALLS OF EQUAL SIZE ON A FLAT SURFACE (2D)

In three dimension (3D) a single central ball can remain in touch with 12 balls of same size at a time.

TWELVE BALLS OF EQUAL SIZE IN A BOX (3D)

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