Are you a Genius? | Imamother

nicole81

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:00 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Firstly, you have to use 7 matchsticks and your equation only uses 5.
Second, according to the rules, 5 would be written like this: 11111, using 5 matchsticks.
Try again!

ETA: I should clarify that the "=3" is already fixed, so you can't count the equal sign into the total for the matchsticks.

nicole81

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:05 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

How is it possible to add 18 to 12 and end up with one?

I don't know if this was meant to be mathematical, or it's just a brain teaser, but if we add thirtieths we get one.

amother

Chocolate

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:35 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Ok here's another one my father used to do with us. You're supposed to use matchsticks, but since we did it on Shabbos, we used knives.

You have seven matchsticks before you. With these 7 matchsticks, you need to create an equation that equals 3.
You would use one matchstick for one, two for two, etc.
A plus sign would be two matchsticks, and a minus sign is one. X would be two matchsticks.

For example. 1111 - 1 is how you would write 4-1. That uses 6 matchsticks and you have to use all 7.

OP was my answer correct?

nicole81

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:37 pm

amother [ Chocolate ] wrote:

correct!

Woohoo! That definitely was not my first try Very Happy

nicole81

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:40 pm

amother [ Chocolate ] wrote:

OP was my answer correct?

Not OP, but yours definitely is. Never played matchstick riddles, is division cheating? lol

Similar, but more mathematical and less visual in case anyone is interested, is the math game "Proof." I picked it up on Prime Day out of curiosity, and I love playing it with kids, but even better, coming up with the most convoluted ways to arrive at equivalencies.

amother

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:46 pm

amother [ Chocolate ] wrote:

Ok, going to try to find you don't know;-)

Do you by any chance subscribe to GAMES magazine? I used to get it some decades ago...

No, but I used to own a book put out by GAMES. It contained all the best puzzles from the magazines. It eventually got thrown out when it fell apart from too much use. (My kids also love riddles and puzzles.)

amother

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:52 pm

DrMom wrote:

This business about $9x3 = $27 is confusing.

- The hotel receptionist has $25 (she got their $30 and gave $5 to the bellhop). At this point, the hotel bill is paid. Any other transactions are between the men and the bellhop.
- The bellhop was supposed to give them $5, but instead he gave them $3.
- The bellhop has the other $2.
$25 (hotel) + $3 (the guests, with $1 each) + $2 (bellhop) = $30

Yes, yes. You got it.
I just love this one because it really drives people crazy. They know it's a trick but they can't figure out what it is. It's a lot of fun to see people getting all confused over something that should be very straightforward.

amother

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:54 pm

amother [ Chocolate ] wrote:

OP was my answer correct?

No, because you only used 5 markers. You have to use 7.

EtA: oh, I didnt see the full picture. You did use 7. OK, if it works or works! Good job!

amother

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:55 pm

nicole81 wrote:

I don't know if this was meant to be mathematical, or it's just a brain teaser, but if we add thirtieths we get one.

Not sure what you mean.
This is meant to be a brainteaser.

nicole81

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:57 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

No, because you only used 5 markers. You have to use 7.

Not sure if you're talking to me since I used markers, or to amother chocolate.

If it's chocolate, what am I missing? 1+1+1 is 3 for the digits and 4 for the two plus signs.

If it's me, I used 7 markers. 3/1/1

amother

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:58 pm

amother [ Chocolate ] wrote:

1+1+1

This is the official answer. Chocolate got it.

amother

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:59 pm

nicole81 wrote:

Yes I corrected it. I had not seen the full picture at first. All I saw was 3/1.

EtA. Sorry again. I realize I was addressing chocolate, but should have been addressing Nicole of the dry erase markers.

nicole81

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 6:01 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Not sure what you mean.
This is meant to be a brainteaser.

OK. I meant if you're adding 18 things together with 12 things to get 1, those "things" can be thirtieths. ie 18(1/30) + 12(1/30) = 1. I guess I really have fractions on the mind tonight Very Happy

amother

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 6:05 pm

nicole81 wrote:

OK. I meant if you're adding 18 things together with 12 things to get 1, those "things" can be thirtieths. ie 18(1/30) + 12(1/30) = 1. I guess I really have fractions on the mind tonight Very Happy

That's a great answer! I love it!

nicole81

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 6:12 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

That's a great answer! I love it!

Thanks! I suppose the answer to this question can go in a number of different directions; I keep thinking there has to be some sort of "trick" answer that involves the War of 1812. Either way I really should stop thinking about this and finish up my work here LOL

amother

Wed, Oct 06 2021, 6:29 pm

nicole81 wrote:

Nothing to do with the war of 1812. But when you hear the answer , you will groan. You'll also yourself how you didnt think of it.

nicole81

Fri, Oct 08 2021, 1:14 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Nothing to do with the war of 1812. But when you hear the answer , you will groan. You'll also yourself how you didnt think of it.

Ok this has been bugging me during my not so spare time lol and I'm coming up with far fetched sad attempts... This probably isn't correct either, but by adding days to equal a month?

Or the simplest answer, by subtracting 29.

Or same idea, it's possible when your bank account is overdrawn by $29

Please spare me my obsessive thoughts lol and share the answer. You can pm me if u feel comfortable and don't want to share the answer. Many thanks as my attempts are getting sadder with each passing day lol.