Consider a large iceberg that’s a perfect cube. Thanks to the difference in densities between ice and water, 10 percent of the iceberg’s mass is above sea level, while the remaining 90 percent of the mass is below.
In its “optimal” (i.e., lowest-energy) orientation, the iceberg’s center of mass is as deep in the water as possible. Suppose the highest point (or points) of the iceberg is a distance x above sea level, while the lowest point (or points) of the iceberg is a distance y below sea level. What is the ratio of x to y?