CTK Exchange
Front Page
Movie shortcuts
Personal info
Awards
Reciprocal links
Terms of use
Privacy Policy

Interactive Activities

Cut The Knot!
MSET99 Talk
Games & Puzzles
Arithmetic/Algebra
Geometry
Probability
Eye Opener
Analog Gadgets
Inventor's Paradox
Did you know?...
Proofs
Math as Language
Things Impossible
My Logo
Math Poll
Other Math sit's
Guest book
News sit's

Recommend this site

Manifesto: what CTK is about |Store| Search CTK Buying a book is a commitment to learning Table of content Things you can find on CTK Chronology of updates Email to Cut The Knot Recommend this page

CTK Exchange

Subject: "Just For Fun! Magic Y"     Previous Topic | Next Topic
Printer-friendly copy     Email this topic to a friend    
Conferences The CTK Exchange Early math Topic #58
Reading Topic #58
DoubleE
guest
Jan-24-04, 04:21 PM (EST)
 
"Just For Fun! Magic Y"
 
   Another fun, first grade "challenge" problem. We've already solved this one, can you???


Magic Y

X--------X
--X-----X
---X---X
-----X
-----X
-----X
-----X

Use the numbers 1 - 10 so that each row equals 23.


  Alert | IP Printer-friendly page | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
bob
guest
Dec-01-04, 09:44 PM (EST)
 
1. "RE: Just For Fun! Magic Y"
In response to message #0
 
   whats the answer?! i can't figure it out!


  Alert | IP Printer-friendly page | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Graham C
Member since Feb-5-03
Dec-02-04, 09:20 AM (EST)
Click to EMail Graham%20C Click to send private message to Graham%20C Click to view user profileClick to add this user to your buddy list  
2. "RE: Just For Fun! Magic Y"
In response to message #0
 
   Neither can I


  Alert | IP Printer-friendly page | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
hmmo
guest
Dec-02-04, 08:58 PM (EST)
 
3. "RE: Just For Fun! Magic Y"
In response to message #0
 
   Use the numbers 1 - 10 in the places marked with an X? In place of the hyphens (dashes? minus signs?)?

...so that each row equals 23 when the numbers are added? multiplied? This "first grade 'challenge' problem" cannot be solved because there isn't enough instruction given--unless using creativity to decide on the rules for the problem so it can be solved is the point of the "challenge".


  Alert | IP Printer-friendly page | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Quintopia
guest
Dec-03-04, 06:28 PM (EST)
 
4. "RE: Just For Fun! Magic Y"
In response to message #3
 
   Using addition, which is the only way it is solvable, gives:
7 is in the center.
The branches are permutations of (10,5,1), (4,9,2), and (2,6,8).


  Alert | IP Printer-friendly page | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
alan66scot
Member since Jan-17-05
Jan-17-05, 08:35 PM (EST)
Click to EMail alan66scot Click to send private message to alan66scot Click to view user profileClick to add this user to your buddy list  
5. "RE: Just For Fun! Magic Y"
In response to message #4
 
   It's all very well giving the answer, but if those who have tried to solve it don't see HOW it was done, they aren't going to learn.

So... the numbers 1-10 sum to 55 (sum 1->n = n.(n+1)/2)
23 in each of 3 rows sums to 69.
Since every number is counted once, except the central number, which is counted 3 times (2 more than the others), and the difference we have to make up is 14 (69-55), the central number must be 7.

So now we need to make 3 sets of 3 numbers to make the balance of 16 (23-7).
Simple trial and error gets us there quite quickly. (choose the 'hardest' numbers to fit first, if there's a choice).

Whichever branch the 1 is on, it will need 15 more from 2 numbers: 10+5, 9+7 or 8+7. but 7 is already used. So let's pick 1,6,9 for one branch.
2 needs 14 more. Only 14 sum possible from the remaining numbers is 10+4, so 2,4,10 for another branch.
We can now be fairly confident the remaining answers will sum to 16, without looking. 3,5,8 do indeed add up, and we are done!

Note the alternate choice to use at the start also implies a solution: 1,5,10 + 2,6,8 + 3,4,9. (You will find the best puzzles have only 1 solution...)


  Alert | IP Printer-friendly page | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Conferences | Forums | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic

You may be curious to have a look at the old CTK Exchange archive.
Please do not post there.

|Front page| |Contents|

Copyright © 1996-2018 Alexander Bogomolny

71547454

Search:
Keywords:

Google
Web CTK