Sunday Times Teaser – Field for Thought

by Peter Good

Published Sunday August 16 2020 (link)

Farmer Giles had a rectangular field bordered by four fences that was 55 hectares in size. He divided the field into three by planting two hedges, from the mid-point of two fences to two corners of the field. He then planted two more hedges, from the mid-point of two fences to two corners of the field. All four hedges were straight, each starting at a different fence and finishing at a different corner.

What was the area of the largest field when the four hedges had been planted?