Mathemagic: Find the trick!

Logic Level 3

Which of the following methods cannot be used as a trick by a mathemagician to find your final answer?

A. Think of a single-digit positive integer. Multiply by 37 and add 74. Multiply by 3 and then subtract 222. Divide by your initial number. I can tell you what the answer is!

B. Think of a positive integer. Multiply by 10. Add 9 and subtract the original number. Now find the repeated sum of digits. I can tell you what the answer is!

C. Think of a positive integer. Multiply the number by 10. Find the repeated sum of digits. Subtract this from your original number. I can tell you what the answer is!

Note: Repeated sum of digits means that you take the digit sum of the number repeatedly until you end up with a single-digit number.

A B C All are possible All are wrong

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

2 solutions

Viki Zeta
Oct 25, 2016

A. Let the number be n = 10 x , x W n = 10 - x, x \in W . Therefore as the statement guides \ × 37 37 ( n ) = 37 n + 74 37 n + 74 × 3 222 3 ( 37 n + 74 ) = 111 n + 222 222 divide 111 n n = 111 \times 37 \implies 37(n) = 37n \\ +74 \implies 37n + 74 \\ \times 3 - 222 \implies 3(37n+74) = 111n + 222-222 \\ \text{divide} \implies \dfrac{111n}{n} = 111

B. Let the number be n n . Let the next number be 10 n + 9 n = 9 n + 9 = 9 ( n + 1 ) 10n + 9 - n = 9n + 9 = 9(n+1) Now the new number is a multiple of 9 9 which have a unique property that sum of all digits of multiples of 9 9 is 9 9 except 0 0 .

C. Let the number be n n . The next number would be 10 n 10n . If we want to find repeated sum of digits you will have r e p e a t e d s u m o f d i g i t s o f n + 0 repeated \ sum \ of \ digits \ of \ n + 0 . Then when you subtract you will have r ( n ) n r(n) - n . Let n = 10 a + b n = 10a + b

r ( n ) = a + b r ( n ) n = a + b n r(n) = a + b \\ r(n) - n = a + b - n

And this continues for all n-digit number. So it depends on the number you choose.

This solution has numerous issues. I've told Loomba that the phrasing is complicated / awkward.

A. That is not what the question asks for.
B. It says "subtract this from your original number", which you have not done.


The problem has since been edited. Can you update your solution accordingly?

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 7 months ago
Prince Loomba
Oct 25, 2016

A. Answer is always 111 as we have multiplied by 111 and removed the added number. So we will get 111 only as answer.

B. Answer is always 9, as the resulting number is divisible by 9

C. No unique answer. Cant be used.

What is Collaltz Conjecture?

Anik Mandal - 4 years, 7 months ago

Log in to reply

Collatz conjecture

Prince Loomba - 4 years, 7 months ago

Log in to reply

Thanks for posting this problem.I didn't know about it.

Anik Mandal - 4 years, 7 months ago

Log in to reply

@Anik Mandal Welcome. Good that you came to know a new thing

Prince Loomba - 4 years, 7 months ago

Focus first on reviewing your own problems, by making them
1. Simple (for you and others) to understand directly
2. No spelling, punctuation, or grammar mistakes
3. Others can see what makes the problem interesting

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 7 months ago

Please explain the solution in more detail. Just saying "The answer is always 111/9" doesn't allow for someone who couldn't solve the problem, to understand exactly what you did. You should walk them through what the sequence of steps is, and explain why we will definitely end up with 111/9.

Calvin Lin Staff - 4 years, 7 months ago

Log in to reply

I will write when I would have time. This is due to limitation of time. I will surely edit it accordingly after sometime.

Prince Loomba - 4 years, 7 months ago

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...