Question 1
A transparent sheet is folded vertical (right to left). A single hole is punched at the center of the folded edge. How will the paper look when unfolded?
Complete Solution with Visualization:
Step 1 - Paper Configuration:
- Square paper folded vertically right to left
- Right half folds over left half
- Creates 2-layer structure with vertical symmetry
Step 2 - Geometric Relationships:
- Fold line: vertical center line
- Symmetry: Left-right reflection
- Layer alignment: Perfect overlap
Step 3 - Punch Position Analysis:
- Location: center of the folded edge
- In folded state: at the physical edge center
- Important: This is actually the original center line
- Punch affects both layers identically
Step 4 - Unfolding Transformation:
- Unfold right half back to original position
- Hole on right half stays at center line
- Hole on left half mirrors to same position (center line overlap)
- Result: Two holes close together near vertical center line
Step 5 - Pattern Analysis:
- Two holes extremely close together
- Both near the vertical center line
- Almost overlapping but technically separate
- Result: Two holes close together near vertical center line
Advanced Insight: When punching exactly at the fold line in folded state, you get two holes that appear very close to each other when unfolded, not at the same spot.
Verification: Test with physical paper to confirm this non-intuitive result.