Square Deal from 4 Points
Square Deal from 4 Points
A “coffin,” or killer problem, from the oral entrance exams
to the math department of Moscow State University:
Construct (with ruler and compass) a square given one point from each side.
According to Tanya Khovanova and Alexey Radul, in the 1970s
such problems were cultivated expressly to prevent Jews and
other undesirable students from entering the university.
The challenging nature of the problems prevented students
from solving them, and the existence of a simple solution
gave cover to the administration. For further examples,
see http://arxiv.org/pdf/1110.1556v1.pdf.
credit: Greg Ross
http://www.futilitycloset.com/2013/01/14/square-deal-5/