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MATH PUZZLE

Avatar for rattdog
rattdogNew York

i know there are some math enthusiasts on this board. just found this puzzle on youtube moments ago. supposedly only in 1000 can solve it correctly, which for some reason blows my mind away. the puzzle goes:

1=4=5

2+5=12

3+6=21

8+11=?

Comments

last comment
Avatar for misterorange
misterorange

40

I'm assuming the first line should read 1+4=5

Avatar for rattdog
rattdog

correction: 1+4=5 for the first line.

the answer is not 40

Avatar for Dolfan
Dolfan

96

1*4+1=5

2*5+2=12

3*6+3=21

8*11+8=96

Avatar for twentyfive
twentyfive

^ sorry my 90 was a typo I concur with both of the above 96

Avatar for rattdog
rattdog

congrats to all that replied correctly at 96.

and many thanks to dolfan for showing "all work" and the right efficient mathematic way to solving the puzzle.

i did it the hard way via running pattern.

Avatar for From978
From978

Lots of math problems have more than one solution. (X squared equals 4 has two, for example.). The first one I thought of was A(B+1), which gives 96, but that certainly doesn't prove that 40 is wrong. If you can explain how you got some other answer, it also is a solution.

Avatar for TallmanFL
TallmanFL

96, assuming the first line really is supposed to be 1+4=5.

The trick is that your "+" symbol means "take the first number, and multiply it by one more than the second number."

Avatar for wld4tatas
wld4tatas

There is a logic to the answer of 40 but it's flawed, I did it too quick.

I agree 96 is the superior answer. Congrats to mark for getting it first.

Can we have another puzzle ?

Avatar for FTS
FTS

96

Avatar for Jascoi
Jascoi

so why isn't it 40?

is this why I have spent much more than I should have?

Avatar for datinman
datinman

There is math and the there is pattern recognition.

Math: 8 + 11 = 19; regardless of the incorrect lines prior.

Pattern recognition: There are 2.

A) The sum above added to the addends below. You get 40.

B) 8*11+8=96. or The sum above added to the addends below accounting for the missing sequences. You get 96.

Three answers, all equally correct.

Avatar for misterorange
misterorange

Okay, I agree that whether you get 40 or 96 they are both correct as the puzzle is presented.

The first one (40) is solved by adding the solution from the previous line. Ex: 3+6 doesn't equal 21 until you add the 12 from the line above. So the equations are interconnected both numerically and by following the same pattern.

1+4=5

2+5+5=12

3+6+12=21

8+11+21=40

In the other one (96) you are following the pattern of first multiplying by the same number which is to be added. Each line follows the same pattern, but numerically each line stands alone. The answer to one line is not dependent on the numbers from another line.

1*4+1=5

2*5+2=12

3*6+3=21

8*11+8=96

HOWEVER: Let's take another look at the original puzzle. This is interesting.

1+4=5

2+5=12

3+6=21

8+11=?

Read vertically, the first and second digits to be added. They begin 1,2,3 and 4,5,6. The pattern is disrupted with the fourth equation which skips from 3 to 8 and 6 to 11. Here's the part I find interesting. If you continue the pattern without disrupting the consistency, check out the solutions:

1+4=5

2+5+5=12

3+6+12=21

4+7+21=32

5+8+32=45

6+9+45=60

7+10+60=77

8+11+77=96

1*4+1=5

2*5+2=12

3*6+3=21

4*7+4=32

5*8+5=45

6*9+6=60

7*10+7=77

8*11+8=96

Avatar for ancientlurker
ancientlurker

There is no puzzle, there are simply false statements. 2+5=12 is simply false, everywhere, always. Yes, I understand the "solution", I'm saying it's bullshit to write false statements. If there is an unknown in the equation, show a placeholder for it.

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