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Can you solve the secret werewolf riddle? - Daniel Finkel

  • 2,771,995 Views
  • 3,482 Questions Answered
  • TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

You’re on the trail of a werewolf that’s been terrorizing your town. After months of detective work, you’ve narrowed your suspects to one of five people. You’ve invited them to dinner with a simple plan: to slip a square of a rare antidote into each of their dinners. Unfortunately, you only have one square left. Can you divide it into perfect fifths and cure the werewolf? Dan Finkel shows how.


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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
  • Director Outis
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Animator Nemanja Petrovic
  • Sound Designer Nemanja Petrovic
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Fact-Checker Brian Gutierrez
    • See more creators
Additional Resources for you to Explore

One of the fascinating things about this puzzle is that it’s even possible to create fifths given the constraints of the problem. What other fractions is it possible to create?

Consider the fractions on this list, and try to find a way to make each one according to the parameters of the laser cutter in the problem. Are there any that can’t be made? How do you know?

One half
One third
One quarter
One sixth
One seventh
One eighth
One ninth
One tenth
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8 Open Discussions
TED-Ed
Lesson Creator
New York, NY

Customize This Lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

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
  • Director Outis
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Animator Nemanja Petrovic
  • Sound Designer Nemanja Petrovic
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Fact-Checker Brian Gutierrez
    • See more creators

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