Quick note: Recent announcement that adds hope to the understanding and future treatment of autism and dyslexia: MIT’s McGovern Institute researchers awarded $8.5m to study brain basis of autism and dyslexia. Quote:

- “Two researchers at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research will head an ambitious new project to study the origins of autism and dyslexia, supported by a $8.5m grant from the Ellison Medical Foundation. The project leaders, Nancy Kanwisher and John Gabrieli, are prominent experts in neuroimaging and human brain development.”

Link: McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT

Please enjoy this brain teaser compliments of puzzle master Wes Carroll. He found this one in the Mensa publication Number Puzzles for Math Geniuses by Harold Gale.

The Empty Triangle

Question:
Which figure should be placed in the empty triangle?

This puzzle works your executive functions in your frontal lobes by using your pattern recognition, hypothesis testing, and logic. Let us know how you do!

Click here to read the Answer and Solution.

If you missed Part 1, also written by puzzle master Wes Carroll, you can start there and then come back here to Part 2.

Concentric Shapes:
The Unkindest Cut of All, Part 2 of 2

Difficulty: HARDER
Type: MATH (Spatial)

Question:
Imagine a square within a circle within a square. The circle just grazes each square at exactly four points. Find the ratio of the area of the larger square to the smaller.

In this puzzle you are working out many of the same skills as in Part I: spatial visualization (occipital lobes), memory (temporal lobes), logic (frontal lobes), planning (frontal lobes), and hypothesis generation (frontal lobes).

Click to read the Solution and Explanation.

In honor of Mathematics Awareness Month 2007: Mathematics and the Brain, here is another mathematical brain bender from puzzle master Wes Carroll …

The Unkindest Cut of All, Part 1 of 2

Difficulty: HARD
Type: MATH (Spatial)

Question:
The area of a square is equal to the square of the length of one side. So, for example, a square with side length 3 has area (3²), or 9. What is the area of a square whose diagonal is length 5?

In this puzzle you are working out your spatial visualization (occipital lobes), memory (temporal lobes), and hypothesis generation (frontal lobes).

Click to read the Solution and Explanation.

Go on to Concentric Shapes: The Unkindest Cut of All, Part 2 of 2

Here is another mind-bender created by Wes Carroll for the SharpBrains readers.

Presenting …
Dr. Nasty’s Giant Cube

Difficulty: HARDER
Type: HYBRID (Logic/Spatial)

Question:
The diabolical Dr. Nasty has turned his Growth Ray on a perfect cube that used to measure one foot on a side. The new larger cube has twice the surface area of the original. Find the volume of the larger cube.

Click to read Hint #1.

Click to read Hint #2.

Click to read Hint #3.

Click to read Hint #4.

Click to read the Solution and Explanation.