Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This problem showed up on r/askmath last week, a problem from what appears to be a sort of primary school math packet. The problem takes us through a long-winded fantasy narrative to poorly describe a problem, with the addition of a figure that only adds to the confusion. We'll get to the bottom of this problem which will us back to 1917, when Henry Dudeney published Amusements in Mathematics, a book that featured a puzzle called Mrs. Perkin's Quilt, which would go onto inspire a lot of research and variations such as squaring the square. #askreddit #mathematics
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Outro music: youtube.com/shorts/tfifiSdTZRg
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SOURCES
reddit.com/r/askmath/comments/1lytrmt/is_my_answer_correct_or_wrong
Amusements in Mathematics by Henry Ernest Dudeney
Mrs. Perkin's Electric Quilt by Paul J. Nahin
demonstrations.wolfram.com/MrsPerkinssQuilts
alaricstephen.com/main-featured/2017/5/31/mrs-perkins-quilt
mathworld.wolfram.com/MrsPerkinssQuilt.html
squaring.net/quilts/mrs-perkins-quilts.html
oeis.org/A005670
Conway JH. Mrs Perkins’s quilt. Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 1964;60(3):363-368. doi:10.1017/S0305004100037877 (cambridge.org/core/journals/mathematical-proceedings-of-the-cambridge-philosophical-society/article/mrs-perkinss-quilt/78235445C0D8540C0CB0AB5A4BABE6C6)
0:00 Intro
1:36 Possible Answers
3:49 Reddit's Thoughts
5:37 The Origins
9:37 Optimal Solution
11:51 General Problem
13:38 Squaring the Square
15:31 Conway's Bounds
17:08 Conclusion
This problem showed up on r/askmath last week, a problem from what appears to be a sort of primary school math packet. The problem takes us through a long-winded fantasy narrative to poorly describe a problem, with the addition of a figure that only adds to the confusion. We'll get to the bottom of this problem which will us back to 1917, when Henry Dudeney published Amusements in Mathematics, a book that featured a puzzle called Mrs. Perkin's Quilt, which would go onto inspire a lot of research and variations such as squaring the square. #askreddit #mathematics
Join Wrath of Math to get exclusive videos, lecture notes, and more:
youtube.com/channel/UCyEKvaxi8mt9FMc62MHcliw/join
Check out the coolest math clothes in the world: mathshion.com
More Math Chats: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLztBpqftvzxXQDmPmSOwXSU9vOHgty1RO
Outro music: youtube.com/shorts/tfifiSdTZRg
Follow Wrath of Math on...
● Instagram: instagram.com/wrathofmathedu
● TikTok: tiktok.com/@wrathofmathedu
● X: https://x.com/wrathofmathedu
SOURCES
reddit.com/r/askmath/comments/1lytrmt/is_my_answer_correct_or_wrong
Amusements in Mathematics by Henry Ernest Dudeney
Mrs. Perkin's Electric Quilt by Paul J. Nahin
demonstrations.wolfram.com/MrsPerkinssQuilts
alaricstephen.com/main-featured/2017/5/31/mrs-perkins-quilt
mathworld.wolfram.com/MrsPerkinssQuilt.html
squaring.net/quilts/mrs-perkins-quilts.html
oeis.org/A005670
Conway JH. Mrs Perkins’s quilt. Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 1964;60(3):363-368. doi:10.1017/S0305004100037877 (cambridge.org/core/journals/mathematical-proceedings-of-the-cambridge-philosophical-society/article/mrs-perkinss-quilt/78235445C0D8540C0CB0AB5A4BABE6C6)
0:00 Intro
1:36 Possible Answers
3:49 Reddit's Thoughts
5:37 The Origins
9:37 Optimal Solution
11:51 General Problem
13:38 Squaring the Square
15:31 Conway's Bounds
17:08 Conclusion
