Mathematics
Problem Of the Week
Spring
2002
POW #9
Traversing A Cereal Box
A small ant is standing at a bottom corner (A) of a
12”x 9”x3” cereal box. The box has a
small opening at the opposite top corner (B).
Assuming that the ant can walk anywhere along the surface of the box,
what path should it choose to minimize the distance it must walk to get to the
opening?
What is the length of its shortest path?