BlackOut Math

[benow5667]

For this problem take out two numbers to make the equation correct

12+8/2/2/2=1*2+4

 

[tkhunny]

What's preventing you from succeeding at this problem?

Shall we also remove operations?

Give it a go. Show us a couple removals that don't work.

Are we sure it doesn't already work?
12+8/2/2/2=1*2+4
12+4/2/2=2+4
12+2/2=6
12+1=6
13=6
Yup. We're sure.

 

[benow5667]

We can remove operations as well but there is too many options for me to know where to start. It seems endless.

 

[benow5667]

How do you start to solve a problem like this?

 

[Steven G]

12+8/2/2/2=1*2+4
If you leave the 12, then the left side will be more than 12 while the right hand side has no chance of being more than 12. Hence we must modify the 12.

Now we can't modify 8/2/2/2 since if we remove a number the expression does not make any sense. On the right hand side we can't remove the 1 or 2 as *2 and 1* make no sense. We can't remove the 4 either as 1*2 + makes no sense.

So what do you think the answer is?

 

[Steven G]

I am now thinking what a 'number' is as in take out two numbers. Can we make the 12 a 2 by removing the number 1. If we remove the number 12 does that count as 1 number? Since 8/2/2/2 = 1 which is one number can we remove all of 8/2/2/2 as one number?

 

[Dr.Peterson]

For this problem take out two numbers to make the equation correct

12+8/2/2/2=1*2+4

Since the wording is so unclear, can you give us an image of how the entire problem is actually stated? That might help us make sense of it.

 

[benow5667]

I am now thinking what a 'number' is as in take out two numbers. Can we make the 12 a 2 by removing the number 1. If we remove the number 12 does that count as 1 number? Since 8/2/2/2 = 1 which is one number can we remove all of 8/2/2/2 as one number?

I think that counts we are looking to get rid of any combo of a number or sign to be removed to solve the problem. It could be two numbers, two signs, one number and one sign.

 

[benow5667]

No the number 12 would be two numbers or signs

 

[Dr.Peterson]

No the number 12 would be two numbers or signs

No, 12 is two DIGITS. It is one NUMBER. The wording as you state it doesn't say "digit" or "sign".

We really need to know the exact wording as given to you!

 

[Steven G]

If you insist that 12 is two numbers then I am going to ask what do numbers 12 equals?

 

[Dr.Peterson]

I found an example of this type of problem:

PuzzleMall ~ Blackout Math

If the problem was written this way, then quoting the exact wording, or showing an image, would indeed be useful:



This makes it clear that two symbols are to be deleted. And the word "numbers" was not used, so we don't need to focus on that. We can write the problem as:

1 2 + 8 / 2 / 2 / 2 = 1 * 2 + 4​

I can solve this by removing two operations.

 

[Steven G]

128/2/2/2=???