I think people have a hard time wrapping their heads around it because it’s very rare to have this sort of problem in the real world. Typically you have a specific size container and need to arrange things in it. You usually don’t get to pick an arbitrary size container or area for storage. Even if you for something like shipping, you’d probably want to break this into a 4x4 and a separate single box to better fit with other things being shipped as well. Or if it is storage you’d want to be able to see the sides or tops. Plus you have 3 dimensions to work with on the real world.
That’s not more efficient because the big square is bigger
See, that’s the problem with people nowadays?They want to minimalise everything.
They should just slow down and breathe.
I think people have a hard time wrapping their heads around it because it’s very rare to have this sort of problem in the real world. Typically you have a specific size container and need to arrange things in it. You usually don’t get to pick an arbitrary size container or area for storage. Even if you for something like shipping, you’d probably want to break this into a 4x4 and a separate single box to better fit with other things being shipped as well. Or if it is storage you’d want to be able to see the sides or tops. Plus you have 3 dimensions to work with on the real world.