Bond Cube with 7 faces?

[Bad Dad]

The problem below is from Bond NVR 10-minute tests - hope you can see the image? I am looking for some advice in connection with it.



As you can see, The Son has gone E when the answer book says D. His argument in favour of E is that as the net has 5 squares arranged vertically (and you would normally expect 4 as a cube has 6 faces!) the faces at the top and bottom with the black and white squares must wrap under/over each other.

I agree with him. But I also think D is correct and the safest answer. I have tried to explain to him that where you see a face with no rotational symmetry, the chances are they are going to be using that in some subtle way, as is the case with the T shape above.

But can anyone explain to me why E is a valid net, because I don't understand? And how can a cube net have 7 faces? This is not the only question like this in the book. Probably being thick. Thanks, very much if anyone can clear this up.

[Dartford Dad]

ANSWER D
When you close the cube the letter T will always have the O at its bottom. Hence cant be D

[feimala]

I would say that your son's answer is correct. I'm guessing that when the cube is made the side with the open square can either be tucked behind the filled square or sit over the front of it; in which case it will never be possible for the open and filled squares to be on the cube together.

[Sam's Mum]

I don't think you could make D or E with this net for the reasons given by Dartford Dad and Feimala.

[Sam's Mum]

Looking again, you could actually make E if you folded the circle or the completely black face in half (and glued it together). This would get rid of one of the faces and then the open square and the solid square could sit next to each other.

Or is this getting a bit ridiculous?

[Red Mommy]

I think you and your sprog are suffering from the same malady affecting myown offspring, namely can't readthequestionproperlyitis. 
The answer is D because the question asks which is NOT possible.  Therefore the other five are all achieveable using the net (and overlapping as your son says) The sixth cannot work as the T will always have the circle at its bottom (as per Dartford Dad)

[Bad Dad]

I think you and your sprog are suffering from the same malady affecting myown offspring, namely can't readthequestionproperlyitis. 
The answer is D because the question asks which is NOT possible.  Therefore the other five are all achieveable using the net (and overlapping as your son says) The sixth cannot work as the T will always have the circle at its bottom (as per Dartford Dad)

Agree that Dartford Dad's answer is the best one.

But to be fair, the Son was actually arguing that E was NOT possible. How could the open and filled squares ever be next to each other if they overlap? Only possibility is the radical solution suggested by Sam's Mum:

Looking again, you could actually make E if you folded the circle or the completely black face in half (and glued it together). This would get rid of one of the faces and then the open square and the solid square could sit next to each other.

Having now looked at materials more widely, I haven't seen much else like this, and am beginning to think it is an error in the Bond book. I don't think you'd get anything this ambiguous on a real exam.

[Sam's Mum]

I think you will find that we were discussing which one could NOT be made and hence had read the question perfectly.