A Peck of Gold: Mission If You Should Choose to Accept:

July 13, 2003

Mission If You Should Choose to Accept:

Math nerds and/or software programming geniuses:

You must go here and try this, then report to me the secret of HOW THIS WORKS! It guessed correctly EVERY SINGLE TIME I tried it!

I am dumbfounded (indicated by frequent use of caps key!!)

-- this message will self destruct in 5...4..3..2..

KABOOM!!

you really should've ducked or something- you could have been seriously injured

Posted by Shannon at July 13, 2003 08:26 PM | TrackBack

Comments

Whoa... That's wicked awesome... And I know a LOT about programming, but that's kinda freaky... I love it! Later, gt

Posted by: Gatlin at July 14, 2003 02:38 AM

Hah! I figured it out. Don't I feel sooo proud of myself. So, if you don't want to know how it works, QUIT READING NOW. Cuz I'm gonna explain it, from what I've figured out!

Alright, here goes.
Take 99 as your 2-digit number. Alright, 99-18=81. So what's your point, you may ask. Take 98, instead. It'd be 98-17, which ALSO equals 81. Coincidence? I THINK NOT. It's clever, really. After clicking the thing over and over, it's ALWAYS the symbol next to the 81... Hmm... Interesting... I'm sure that this goes for all of the other numbers as well. So, BOOYA suckers! I solved your cute little trick!
*Feels proud*

Posted by: Gatlin at July 14, 2003 03:05 AM

But how does it know which number we start out with?

Posted by: Shannon at July 14, 2003 10:33 AM

Shannon, here's a full explanation. (I posted one of these a while back, and someone sent this explanation to me.)

Posted by: jon amos at July 14, 2003 10:44 AM

Brilliant! Gat, you were on the right track.

Posted by: Shannon at July 14, 2003 11:33 AM

Try this for your answer.

The answer is that the appropriate symbols are always shown on the following numbers: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, . . . .

Try this for yourself:

2 + 4 = 6
24 - 6 = 18

3 + 4 = 7
34 - 7 = 27

3 + 5 = 8
35 - 8 = 27

4 + 5 = 9
45 - 9 = 36

4 + 6 = 10
46 - 10 = 36
You probably get the picture now. Now go back to Mystical Ball and look again. Focus on one of the numbers indicated again. Every time the symbol pops up, it will match the symbol next to that number.

Just like Gatlin and Jon Amos said.

Posted by: Courtney Huntington at July 17, 2003 02:10 PM