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Problem of the Week

Problem B

Word Up!

In the diagram below, we can connect the letters of the word PLAY by drawing a straight line between each pair of consecutive letters in the word, and then another straight line from the last letter back to the first.
When we connect the letters of the word PLAY, we can see that the shape formed is a rectangle.

A four by four grid with each cell containing a letter. Row 1 is S, H, P, K. Row 2 is Y, E, B, G. Row 3 is U, O, D, L. Row 4 is I, A, M, C. A rectangle is drawn on the grid with vertices at the letters P, L, A, and Y.

  1. Which of the words shown below will also create a rectangle when we connect their letters in the given diagram?

    SICK, PLAY, SULK, MODE, HACK, DAUB

  2. Name the shapes formed when we connect the letters of these words:
    BEAM, BOYS, DAM.

Challenge: What other words can you find which make polygons when you connect their letters in the given diagram?

Theme: Geometry