How can this be!?!

[Mike Rush]

What do you think???

[Joe Ross]

The partitions are the same, but the overall size of the triangles are not the same.

This should probably go in the math & science forum.

[NoodleKnight]

You know, I've seen this thing before, I don't see what exactaly is supposed to be intriguing/confusing/puzzling about it... I can see why the second triangle has a blank space....

[ahecht]

The slope of the red and green triangles are not the same (2/5 != 3/8). Therefore the top composite triangle's hypotenuse is actually slightly concave, while the bottom composite triangle's hypotenuse is slightly convex, which means that the bottom composite triangle has a larger area (hence the gap).

[Mike Betts]

Originally Posted by ahecht

The slope of the red and green triangles are not the same (2/5 != 3/8). Therefore the top composite triangle's hypotenuse is actually slightly concave, while the bottom composite triangle's hypotenuse is slightly convex, which means that the bottom composite triangle has a larger area (hence the gap).

Excellent...

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by ahecht

The slope of the red and green triangles are not the same (2/5 != 3/8). Therefore the top composite triangle's hypotenuse is actually slightly concave, while the bottom composite triangle's hypotenuse is slightly convex, which means that the bottom composite triangle has a larger area (hence the gap).

Very Cool Explanation!

[663.keith]

excellent explanation, I put one triangle over the other in this .gif, by changing the opacity, one can clearly see the difference in the slope of the triangles