T he Main Challenge
Here’s a 10-step number trail involving the four arithmetical operations, some 3-digit numbers, plus fractions and percentages.
Start with the number 2, then:
- add three hundred and eighty
- –292
- +106
- –50%
- 1/2 of this
- multiply by nine
- 1/3 of this
- –7
- divide by seven
- +7
What’s your answer?
The 7puzzle Challenge
The playing board of the 7puzzle game is a 7-by-7 grid containing 49 different numbers, ranging from 2 up to 84.
The 6th & 7th rows of the playing board contain the following fourteen numbers:
4 5 11 12 18 20 24 27 30 33 49 56 70 77
What is half of the highest even number?
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).
Show how you can make 196, in TEN different ways, when using Lagrange’s Theorem.
The Mathematically Possible Challenge
Using 3, 4 and 12 once each, with + – × ÷ available, which FOUR numbers is it possible to make from the list below?
1 3 6 10 15 21 28 36 45 55 66
#TriangularNumbers
The Target Challenge
Can you arrive at 196 by inserting 5, 6, 8 and 9 into the gaps on each line?
- (◯+◯)×(◯+◯) = 196
- (◯+◯)²+(◯×half◯) = 196
- (◯+◯)²–(◯²+half◯) = 196
- ◯³+◯–(◯+double◯) = 196
- ◯³+◯–(◯²+√◯) = 196
Answers can be found here.
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