You have a ten centimeter by ten centimeter square with a flap on the top edge. Unfolding this flap reveals a second flap, and unfolding this second flap reveals a third, as shown. If there are an infinite number of these flaps, what is the area of the entire figure (in square centimeters) when they are all unfolded?

if there is an unlimited amount of flaps, then there is an infinite answer in terms of area. but otherwise i think it''s 10 cubed? if i get your problem right.

Higher Forces

n = number of flaps
length of one half of the flap that might differ from 10cm

f(n) = (100) + (2n) * (10 * l)


You might be asking a more complex problem, but they way you asked it is how I interpreted it as above.

Basically, the shape looks like a sealed envelope

Whether the problem should stay in the form of an equation or not is debatable because they said they wanted the answer in terms of sq cm but also said the flaps were infinite.

I''m not very good at infinite sequences and series but I don''t think that this will converge and if it diverges, no formula in the world is going to give you the final, 100% accurate answer.

Over the centuries, mankind has tried many ways of combating the forces of evil...prayer,
fasting, good works and so on. Up until Doom, no one seemed to have thought about the
double-barrel shotgun. Eat leaden death, demon...
-- Terry Pratchett

what is the size of each flap in relation to the previous flap? Or what is the shape of each flap?


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You shouldn''t post your homework here, but read up on geometric series: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/GeometricSeries.html

This question looks remarkably familiar. Is this by any chance from an IQ test you are taking?

you''re only fooling yourself.....

well yourself and the high IQ club you''re trying to join ;-)

I scored 144 in that test by the way