When asked to double this area the boy answers correctly: 8 feet, but for the drawing he proposes to double the length of the side.
Socrates now hints on the fact that the square area will then be 16 feet. So hte boy reduces the length of the side to three feet - which unfortunately results in 9 feet for the area. So in the end he resigns saying: "I just don't know."

	Arithmetic and Weaving in Antiquity A pebble proof of the incommensurability in the square

	When asked to double this area the boy answers correctly: 8 feet, but for the drawing he proposes to double the length of the side. Socrates now hints on the fact that the square area will then be 16 feet. So hte boy reduces the length of the side to three feet - which unfortunately results in 9 feet for the area. So in the end he resigns saying: "I just don't know."