An ancient sculptor was commissioned to supply two statues, each on a
cubical pedestal. It is with these pedestals that we are concerned. They
were of unequal sizes, as will be seen in the illustration, and when the
time arrived for payment a dispute arose as to whether the agreement was
based on lineal or cubical measurement. But as soon as they came to
measure the two pedestals the matter was at once settled, because,
curiously enough, the number of lineal feet was exactly the same as the
number of cubical feet. The puzzle is to find the dimensions for two
pedestals having this peculiarity, in the smallest possible figures. You
see, if the two pedestals, for example, measure respectively 3 ft. and 1
ft. on every side, then the lineal measurement would be 4 ft. and the
cubical contents 28 ft., which are not the same, so these measurements
will not do.
[Illustration]