[math-fun] a problem from martin gardner

I found a short note from Martin Gardner to David A Klarner in my garage (long story; anyway...) The letter is dated 4 Oct 1983. This is what it says (in part) * * * *begin quotation * * * Do you know whether an n-rowed triangle-shaped array of dots like this * * * * * * * * * * ..... can be tiled by single triangles shaped like this * * * or by 1x3 straight lines like this * * * It's been driving me nuts for two weeks! Is there a coloring argument? Martin ******* end quotation ***** -- Thane Plambeck tplambeck@gmail.com http://thaneplambeck.typepad.com/