#2             86. A FISHY TALE             
I have heard some funny fish stories in my time, but they normally relate to the length of the fish, not the length of the rod!

While travelling in England recently, I set off for a day’s fishing expedition, and prepared to board the bus.

“Sorry, Sir,” said the bus conductor, “that fishing rod is five-foot long. You are not allowed to bring objects longer than four foot on to London Transport buses.”

Somewhat perplexed, I retreated from the bus and returned home.

Then I had a sudden inspiration, and wrapped up my one piece rod, being careful of course, not to bend or break it.

I was admitted onto the next bus with my rod without question, even though the rule had not changed.

How did I wrap my fishing rod?
HINT 1

Is there anything significant about the two numbers mentioned in this story?
HINT 2

Draw some sketches of a parcel four feet long. Could such a parcel contain a longer object?
SOLUTION

I placed the rod along the diagonal of a rectangular parcel of diemnsions four feet by three feet.
EXTENSIONS

1. The nice numbers in this problem obviously relate to Pythagoras’s theorem. What other nice numbers might be used?

2. In fact, it would be possible to solve this problem for an even longer fishing rod. Can you see how?
(I could manage to take on board a rod of length
43 – over 6 feet 10 inches long )