Segmented double torus

**Jon** · Nov 11, 2016, 01:51 PM

Segmented double torus (or possibly just a single torus with a loop, but still cool) by Kyle Toth, made from Bubinga. 100 hours of work, 2016 segments (for the year in which it was built), selling for $5,100 on his website. About 19" tall, and finished in Tung oil.

Previously: Turning a segmented torus, by Kyle Toth.

**mklotz** · Nov 11, 2016, 02:10 PM

Topologically speaking, that thing, your morning donut and cup of coffee are all the same shape. Yes, I took too much math in college. :-)

**Jon** · Nov 11, 2016, 02:47 PM

This reminded me of a legendary 9th grade geometry teacher of mine. One day he held up a sheet of paper, and asked the class what shape it was. Some unfortunate student said "rectangle". Another student said that although the piece of paper was very thin, it was actually a "rectangular solid". Mr. Merrick was happy with the response, but was quick to point out that, technically, it was a representation of a rectangular solid, because of course geometric shapes were abstract constructions that could not possibly exist in the real world.

**mklotz** · Nov 11, 2016, 03:08 PM

Reminds me of one of my favorite mathematics anecdotes.

Karl Gauss was a mathematical prodigy, yet he was required to go to the German equivalent of grade school. One day the class was noisy and the teacher, as punishment, told them to get out their slates and add all the numbers from 1 to 100.

Being good little German kids conditioned to respond to authority, they all got to work. All, that is, except little Karl who scratched something on his slate, sat back and lounged comfortably in his seat.

The teacher confronted him and asked why he wasn't working. Little Karl said, "I'm done" and held up his slate with the correct answer, 5050, written on it.

How could you have done it so quickly, asked the teacher.

Well,

1 + 100 = 101
2 + 99 = 101
...
50 + 51 = 101

so the answer must be 50 * 101 and I did that in my head.

Unwittingly, little Karl had devised the formula for the sum of the integers.

History does not record what the teacher said at this point. Being of German descent, I can guess but we'll leave that for another time.