Here is a couple of "characters" you can pull out and make it look right and easier.

1 = (√2²)/2

With 9 you already have the basis of it done. If you don't get the answer then when you see it your reaction will be lime mine when I saw the answer for 11

A flash way to get 10

10 = (√ (0.2ˉ²)) X 2

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
Nice job TomP! You got more than I did!
I am puzzled by your use of the factorial (!, exclamation point) though.
Peter.

4! = 1*2*3*4 = 24

3! = 1*2*3 = 6

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
Nice job TomP! You got more than I did!
I am puzzled by your use of the factorial (!, exclamation point) though.
Peter.

That is why it is excluded, only symbols that everyone would know.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike McGuire:
With 9 you already have the basis of it done. If you don't get the answer then when you see it your reaction will be lime mine when I saw the answer for 11

A flash way to get 10

10 = (√ (0.2ˉ²)) X 2

I see, that makes 7 = (√ (0.2ˉ²)) + 2
and another 3 = (√ (0.2ˉ²)) - 2

quote:

Originally posted by Mike McGuire:

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
Nice job TomP! You got more than I did!
I am puzzled by your use of the factorial (!, exclamation point) though.
Peter.

That is why it is excluded, only symbols that everyone would know.

Depends on what elementary school we attended...

Have you 9 yet?

Mike, have you figured out yet that 5 is Not the correct answer to my question????

quote:

Originally posted by Mike McGuire:
Have you 9 yet?

9 is 25 - 16 but I don't see a way with three twos yet, maybe that's the wrong approach.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
Mike, have you figured out yet that 5 is Not the correct answer to my question????

No but my guess was 5 was wrong. I am extremely poor at lateral thinking and always get that sort of ting wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike McGuire:
Have you 9 yet?

9 is 25 - 16 but I don't see a way with three twos yet, maybe that's the wrong approach.

As I said before, you already have the basis of it done. Check some of your other answers.

quote:

No but my guess was 5 was wrong. I am extremely poor at lateral thinking and always get that sort of ting wrong.

It has less to do with thinking and more to do with OVERTHINKING is where the problem is.

I hope that whoever finds the answer 1st + crys "Eureka" does not get stabbed by some passing Roman.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike McGuire:

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike McGuire:
Have you 9 yet?

9 is 25 - 16 but I don't see a way with three twos yet, maybe that's the wrong approach.

As I said before, you already have the basis of it done. Check some of your other answers.

OK, let's rummage the puzzle pieces...

2 - (2/2) = 1

2+2-2 = 2

2+(2/2)=3
(√ (0.2ˉ²)) - 2 = 3

(√ 2) x (√ 2) + 2 = 4
(√ 2) x (√ 2) x 2 = 4

(2/2)/(.2) = 5
2/(2*.2) = 5

2+2+2 = 6
((2/2)+2)! = 6

(√ (0.2ˉ²)) + 2 = 7

2x2x2=8
(2/.2)-2 = 8

9?

(√ (2) x √ (2) )/(.2) = 10
(√ (0.2ˉ²)) X 2 = 10

22/2 = 11

((2+2)!)/2 = 12
(2/.2) + 2 = 12

So, now to get a 9...

1 + 8 = 9 -> (2-2/2) + (2x2x2) -> too many twos

2 + 7 = 9 -> (2) + √ (.2^-2) +2 -> too many twos

3 + 6 = 9 -> (2+2/2) + (2^2+2) -> too many twos

4 + 5 = 9 -> (2^2) + (√ (0.2ˉ²)) -> too many twos

10 - 1 = 9 -> (√ (0.2ˉ²)) X 2 -(2/2) -> too many twos
10 - 1 = 9 -> (2/.2) - (2/2) -> too many twos

11-2 = 9 -> (22/2 ) - (2) -> too many twos

12 - 3 = 9 -> ((2/.2)+2) - (2+2/2) -> ((2/.2) - (2/2) -> too many twos

25 - 16 = 9 -> (.2^-2) - ((2^2)^2) -> too many twos

(6 x 6 ) / 4 = 9 -> (2^2+2)^2 / (2^-2) -> too many twos

Seems I've failed to make the cognitive leap...

10 - 1 = 9 -> (2/.2) - (.2/.2) -> ((2 - .2)/.2 ) -> ahhh...

To get 9 the answer looks similar to

5 = (2/.2) /2 but with two changes made.

you lost me at the first line

2 - (2/2) = 1

quote:

Originally posted by muzza:
you lost me at the first line

2 - (2/2) = 1

The brackets make for a separation calculation so that the result from what is in the brackets becomes the number.

So 2 - (2/2) is the same as 2 - 1. The / is used for divide sign. An * is used as the multiply sign but mostly in computer programs which would read 5 X 6 in a way where the X was read as an X and not a multiply sign.

With 2 - (2/2) if you remove the brackets then you have 2 minus 2 divide by 2. Depending on how you did it that could mean you have 0 divided by 2.

In many ways things like brackets are somewhat like punctuation in writing where the punctuation can change the meaning of what is written.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike McGuire:
To get 9 the answer looks similar to

5 = (2/.2) /2 but with two changes made.

Hi Mike
It's there, right at the end.
10 - 1 = 9 -> (2/.2) - (.2/.2) -> ((2 - .2)/.2 ) -> ahhh...

That's it.

9 = (2 - .2)/.2

You were close to it for a couple of days.

quote:

I hope that whoever finds the answer 1st + crys "Eureka" does not get stabbed by some passing Roman.

What I find funny is that Mike was wrong with his answer and has tucked tail and ran!!!!

As to the ducks there are three.

Congrats Tom. I miss read and took that using ".2" wasn't allowed. Then confused myself. I did have most but was using decimal points and thought I was working the wrong way.

Happy New Year!!

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

I hope that whoever finds the answer 1st + crys "Eureka" does not get stabbed by some passing Roman.

What I find funny is that Mike was wrong with his answer and has tucked tail and ran!!!!

3 ducks

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
As to the ducks there are three.

Congrats Tom. I miss read and took that using ".2" wasn't allowed. Then confused myself. I did have most but was using decimal points and thought I was working the wrong way.

Happy New Year!!

"I miss read and took that using ".2" wasn't allowed"

The . is a maths symbol and known by everyone.

I don't know how many times I have put the "three 2s" to people in what is nearly 50 years but no matte how many ways I have done it there is always a very high, very high percentage of people where the problem is not clear. The exception is if you are face to face with someone and a couple of things with pen and paper.

The dentist who did it unaided was very quick and it only took him an hour or so. However, John is an extreme lateral thinker and because of his interests is very familiar with high school arithmetic. Not many people have both attributes.

If some of you want to try it on other people here it is all set out. The various symbols like square root and raised 2 come from the Windows Character Map. That seems to have gone from the latest Windows 10 Version 1809

1 = (√2²)/2
2 = 2²/2
3 = (2/2) + 2
4 = (√2²)+ 2
5 = (2/.2) /2
6 = 2+2+2
7 = (√ (0.2ˉ²))+2
8 = (2/.2)-2
9 = (2 - .2)/.2
10 = (√ (0.2ˉ²)) X 2
11 = 22/2
12 = (2/.2) +2

quote:

As to the ducks there are three.

Ramrod340 got it right!

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

As to the ducks there are three.

Ramrod340 got it right!

So did I. We posted together.

Here is one you an try on people. Tell them you are going ask them a question and you want the first answer that comes to them, you want an answer instantly.

Think of a number between 7 and 5. If the person is a real quick thinker and especially if they use numbers quite a lot they will say 2. Sub consciously they subtract 5 from the 7.

Truly - it just gets worse and worse. My head hurts just from reading that , let alone understanding any of it ......

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
As to the ducks there are three.

Congrats Tom. I miss read and took that using ".2" wasn't allowed. Then confused myself. I did have most but was using decimal points and thought I was working the wrong way.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year, indeed.

Getting 11 means leaving the box, then using .2 feels semi-legitimate. The hardest one was 7; without a nudge I'd still be puzzling over it.

quote:

So did I. We posted together.

NO!!! ramrod posted his answer at 4:21 yours came in at 4:24

There are no ties!

I have not thought about it but I think both 3 and 5 would be right. Did the question ask for the minimum number of ducks.

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
As to the ducks there are three.

Congrats Tom. I miss read and took that using ".2" wasn't allowed. Then confused myself. I did have most but was using decimal points and thought I was working the wrong way.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year, indeed.

Getting 11 means leaving the box, then using .2 feels semi-legitimate. The hardest one was 7; without a nudge I'd still be puzzling over it.

When I was first doing it I got the simple ones with just a "whole 2" being used. I gave it to the dentist and he did the lot in not much more than hour. He then said to me I will give you the answer to one of them and you will get the rest. We have known each other since we were about 7 years of age. He gave me the 22/2 for 11 and then I was on my way.

I found Windows Character Map in W10 version 1809.

Apart square root sign, raised numbers like 2 as in 8² or raised 3 as in 4³ you can do things like

97ºF

º

quote:

I have not thought about it but I think both 3 and 5 would be right. Did the question ask for the minimum number of ducks.

What you think does not matter, the answer is 3 and the question has been around longer than mine and your ages combined!

Deal with it, ramrod was the first to get it right, end of story!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:

quote:

I have not thought about it but I think both 3 and 5 would be right. Did the question ask for the minimum number of ducks.

What you think does not matter, the answer is 3 and the question has been around longer than mine and your ages combined!

Deal with it, ramrod was the first to get it right, end of story!!!!

You should specify a minimum number of ducks.

No I shouldn't!!! You guessed and guessed wrong, end of story!!!

You are not the first to guess wrong on that riddle in its long time in existance and won 't be the last.

Both 3 and 5 are correct.

It doesn't matter what you grand pappy said or what you read

5 and 3 are correct.

I really have no dog in this hunt but just for the sake of clearing the air,remember the old adage about when one argues with a fool,who is the fool?

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
Mike, have you figured out yet that 5 is Not the correct answer to my question????

He's giving it more thought, Randall