Question Stupid math....

[Ctuchik]

8 7 15 11 8 12 29

How to turn this sequence into three equal numbers?

As far as i can tell it's not possible to get 3 equal numbers using any combination of this sequence..

Or i'm just that stupid..

The problem says "here's three cups, make all three cups have the same number using the numbers above"....

 

[georgie]

First three numbers, next three numbers with one left over, then add that on the last number.

 

[Rubber Bullets]

The numbers add up to 90, and so you would need 30 in each cup. As one of the numbers is 29 and none are 1 then it looks like you are correct.

 

[Ctuchik]

Ah sorry should be 18 17 15 etc etc..

 

[Rubber Bullets]

If you add up all the digits you get 45. You can then put 15 in each pot. 8+7, 1+1+5+7, 1+1+2+2+9.

That might be it.

 

[Ctuchik]

hmm ok.. that sounds dodgy but fuck it..

but there should be a way to use the numbers as is so to speak.

Could be a fault with the problem i guess..

/edit: oh wait you're still using the original sequence?

 

[caLLous]

I don't think you're allowed to add up and hope it's divisible by 3. I think you need to add various combinations to create 3 equal numbers.

 

[Ctuchik]

I don't think you're allowed to add up and hope it's divisible by 3. I think you need to add various combinations to create 3 equal numbers.

Yes that's how understood it but i'm not smart enough to figure it out.

 

[caLLous]

Are you sure it's 18 17 15 11 8 12 29? There's just no way what I thought was the question can be solved because 29 is less than half the sum of the other numbers and the smallest number added to it gives 37 and the only other close possibilities are 35 and 38. Adding more than 8 to 29 also doesn't work because you end up with 40 35 35.

 

[Ctuchik]

lol nope, i'm apparently bad at hearing too.

It's 18 7 15 11 8 12 29 she says.

And yes she know i'm on here "cheating"..

/edit: also i got sent a picture, you have to draw lines between the numbers and the cups to make them have equal numbers.

 

[caLLous]

Well they now add up to 100 so it's even more impossible that way. Ffs attach the picture.

 

[Ctuchik]

lol ok. yes it's blurry. no i can't do any better.



Oh and insultt to injury: It has to be even numbers in the cup. so no 33.3333333333333333333333333333

 

[Jupitus]

Show us the top part with the example pls...

 

[caLLous]

He's not being very bloody helpful.

 

[Ctuchik]

The top part isn't an example, it's just a similar problem. But i'll ask her if she can get a picture of that to.

 

[Ctuchik]

here's the full page.
Text at the bottom is unrelated.

 

[Jupitus]

.. also what context? Is this a mind challenge, an exam question for 15 year olds, perhaps a maths degree student study? As Callous has already said, as it looks it is impossible...

 

[Gwadien]

here's the full page.

View attachment 38258

Maybe if it was written in a decent language it would be much clearer.

 

[georgie]

And what does all that Klingon say?

 

[caLLous]

Is there an option to say that it's not possible? Because it's not...

 

[Ctuchik]

Text at the bottom is unrelated. Text at the top says "draw lines between the circled numbers to the cups so that the cups contain the same even number"..

 

[Zarjazz]

I can only do it if you're allowed to use the numbers more than once and if you can add & subtract.

 

[Ctuchik]

I can only do it if you're allowed to use the numbers more than once and if you can add & subtract.

It doesn't say you can't but it doesn't say you can either..

I mean the fact that it totals to 100 means the only correct solution is 33.3..

and that's wrong as it's not an even sum..

And also since the answer is that you can only draw lines (not add and/or subtract) it is not possible..
The book has to be wrong..

 

[Jupitus]

Can't be done unless there is some trickery like draw a line from a cup to another cup... or as Zarjazz has added...

 

[caLLous]

Assumptions from the example above are that you have to use all of the numbers once and that you can only add.

 

[Ctuchik]

Ah well fuck it. I'll call her teacher tomorrow.

Thanks for easing my mind guys, i was seriously going mad here..

 

[Zarjazz]

Assumptions from the example above are that you have to use all of the numbers once and that you can only add.

Then that's mathematically impossible since the smallest even number you can get using the 29 is 36 (29 + 7). There is only a total of 64 left (100 - 36) which isn't enough to make the required 2 x 36 values (72 > 64). So either there's a typo in the numbers or those aren't the allowed rules.

 

[caLLous]

I think he meant whole numbers not even numbers (I could be wrong) but yeah we all agree that it's not possible.

edit - If the last number is 19 and not 29 it's possible because 18 + 12, 7 + 8 + 15 and 19 + 11 all equal 30.

 

[georgie]

I'd assume by even that it means equal rather than not odd.

 

[caLLous]

I'd assume by even that it means equal rather than not odd.

Maybe but he says "the same even number" (assuming it's translated accurately), using same and then equal seems like a bit of a pleonasm. I think it's more likely that it means whole or actually even.