Remember the missing dollar puzzle...
 

...try this one next!

http://www.aromdee.net/uploadpic/Dec/p1629_1.gif

The answer is racist.

You mean this puzzle?

The answer is fundamentally the same for both problems, involving the non-similar triangles that are made to seem similar.

See if this illustration helps:

Someone asked me this like a week ago man. I got the answer in like 10 sec, my friend was so pissed. lol

"Rise over Run" FTW.

I both cases, the are fudging the angles and intersections.

In Mike's example, the blocks do not change size, they only get rearanged. The area of the blocks themselves has not changed, but tha area covered is larger This is because the red block has a lower slope than the green one 2/5 <> 3/8... rise/run You can fit more blocks under a longer lower slopped block than a taller skinnier one. Big deal...

In Scott's example, they are cheating the angles. a 3/8 block does not mesh with a 2/5 block

Edit... Damn, JC beat me..

Edit 2: Scott answered his on riddle what's up with that...

I answered it too.

Its racist. The slopes are not equal.

Damnit guys, I have to go back to school.

I love these things.

Me too.
And best yet, I'm going to foist them on Rachel, who is taking geometry this year.

I'm still stuck on the symbols in the first post.