Skip to main content

Can you solve the alien probe riddle? - Dan Finkel

2,509,711 Views

2,103 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Your team has developed a probe to study an alien monolith. It needs protective coatings — in red, purple and green — to cope with the environments it passes through. Can you figure out how to apply the colors so the probe survives the trip? Dan Finkel shows how.

How many of the 27 cubes have exactly 0 of their faces painted red?

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Daniel Finkel
  • Animator Anton Trofimov
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott

More from Math In Real Life