T he Main Challenge
Happy St David’s Day/Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus.
It’s our National Day in Wales today so try our special alphabet number puzzle; probably the hardest you can ever try!
The longest place name in the UK is a small village on the island of Anglesey. When allocating each letter of the English alphabet a numerical value, A=1 B=2 C=3 … Z=26 and adding the individual letters, what is the total value of:
LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTISILIOGOGOGOCH?
If you wish to hear it pronounced properly, click the following links and listen to Hollywood actor Michael Sheen and weatherman Liam Dutton.
The 7puzzle Challenge
The playing board of the 7puzzle game is a 7-by-7 grid of 49 different numbers, ranging from 2 up to 84.
The 4th & 6th rows contain the following fourteen numbers:
3 5 10 12 18 20 32 33 35 44 49 54 56 60
Which two numbers, when each is tripled, are also on the list?
The Lagrange Challenge
Lagrange’s Four-Square Theorem states that every positive integer can be made by adding up to four square numbers.
For example, 7 can be made by 2²+1²+1²+1² (or 4+1+1+1).
There are THREE ways of making 60 when using Lagrange’s Theorem. Can you find them?
The Mathematically Possible Challenge
Using 1, 6 and 7 once each, with + – × ÷ available, which FOUR numbers is it possible to make from the list below?
7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63 70
#7TimesTable
The Target Challenge
Can you arrive at 60 by inserting 2, 3, 4 and 7 into the gaps on each line?
- (◯+◯)×(◯+◯) = 60
- (◯–◯)×◯×◯ = 60
- ◯²+◯²+◯–◯ = 60
- ◯²×◯²+◯–◯ = 60
Answers can be found here.
Click Paul Godding for details of online maths tuition.
