A pot of gold is on a square island surrounded by a chasm 10 metres wide and of infinite depth. You have two 9.8 metres poles. How do you get across to the pot of gold and get back with it?

Answer: Take one pole and lay it across the corner of the chasm

so each end of the pole is touching a different side of the chasm.

The middle of the pole will now be closer than 9.8 meteres to the island.

OR

Answer: Diagonal placement of poles in a T-like shape where the

top part of the T rests on part that's not the island.