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 2nd & 7th rows contain the following fourteen numbers:
4 8 11 17 24 27 28 30 48 55 63 64 70 77
What is the sum of the even numbers listed?
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 FOUR ways of making 61 when using Lagrange’s Theorem. Can you find them?
The Mathematically Possible Challenge
Using 1, 6 and 7 once each, with + – × ÷ available, which is the ONLY number it is possible to make from the list below?
8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80
#8TimesTable
The Target Challenge
Can you arrive at 61 by inserting 3, 5, 8 and 10 into the gaps on each line?
- ◯×◯+◯+◯ = 61
- (◯–◯)×◯+◯ = 61
- (◯+◯)×◯+double◯ = 61
- (◯+◯)×◯–half◯ = 61
Answers can be found here.
Click Paul Godding for details of online maths tuition.
