A lot of people don't know the order of operations...

[goatmeal]

To everyone who got the answer of 16... look at the third sequence again. There are SEVEN bottles, not SIX. Each bottle individually counts as ONE. This means the answer is in fact 17.

6 + 6 + 6 = 18
6 + 2 + 2 = 10
2 + 7 - 5 = 4
5 + 2 x 6 = 17

Okay, straight-up calling shenanigans on this one.


If we are to assume that each bottle displayed represents "1" bottle in all four lines, why does that not apply to the other displayed items?

In the second line, for the mathematics to work out correctly, each single keg/drum is equal to "2"... BUT there are not 4 kegs/drums displayed in total; only 2 are shown.

Similarly, in the third line, there appears to be 8 bundles of bills in each pile (to be fair, some might be hidden 'behind' the pile, but we will disregard that possibility), yet they are supposed to represent the value of "5"; that would mean each single bundle of bills is equal to 5/8, but there are 8 individual bundles of bills displayed in total, not a mere 5 bundles...


The only thing we can say for certain is that solving for d is unknowable, because we've now introduced a new variable, e, which is represented by the picture of 7 bottles in line three and which is not the same variable that a represented for the six bottles in lines one, two and four.

(I know, I know; overthinking it here...)

As for scientific/graphing calculators... who didn't have a TI-85 or TI-86?

Me. I had the CASIO fx-7700G while in college:

https://www.calculator.org/calculators/ ... 7700G.html

[Tawmis]

I had the CASIO fx-7700G while in college:
https://www.calculator.org/calculators/ ... 7700G.html

I am pretty sure - I had a TI-36. Looks like what I remember.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PQsAAOSw ... -l1600.jpg

[DeadPoolX]

Still, at least I didn't fail the PEDMAS/BEDMAS thing. (That's not saying much, though, since I learned that in first grade...)

Hey, you'd be surprised how few people actually seem to know PEMDAS/BEDMAS.

To everyone who got the answer of 16... look at the third sequence again. There are SEVEN bottles, not SIX. Each bottle individually counts as ONE. This means the answer is in fact 17.

6 + 6 + 6 = 18
6 + 2 + 2 = 10
2 + 7 - 5 = 4
5 + 2 x 6 = 17

Okay, straight-up calling shenanigans on this one.

If we are to assume that each bottle displayed represents "1" bottle in all four lines, why does that not apply to the other displayed items?

[...]

(I know, I know; overthinking it here...)

I agree that it's a dirty trick, especially because individual items don't represent that exact number in other sequences. On the flipside, I can see some merit in it as part of math is paying close attention and figuring things out, not just regurgitating formulae.

I've seen this trick done in other problems online, but usually it's easier to spot. I mean, they'll show something like two roller skates equaling the number "six" and then somewhere else show one roller skate, hoping people will incorrectly count it the same as two roller skates. This may be a trick, but if you can't spot the difference between one roller skate and two roller skates, you're really not paying attention at all.

It's a little different with a cluster of bottles because it's more difficult to tell six bottles apart from seven bottles, and unless you stop and count each bottle individually in each successive sequence (something you wouldn't normally think to do because this pattern does show elsewhere in the problem) it'd be easy to see the wrong number of bottles.

[Rath Darkblade]

All this talk of mathematics reminded me of a song parody I wrote ages and ages ago, combining three things I like -- "Quest for Glory", mathematics and music. (And goofing off). I couldn't find it, so I re-wrote it from scratch!

Just a little note: "Goblin LaPlace" is a tiny reference to Pierre-Simon LaPlace, a very real and very great mathematician and astronomer from the time of Napoleon. (His name rhymes with "fuss", not "face" ... and I shorted "goblin" to "gobby" because it's easier to sing). Enjoy!

"Gobby LaPlace"
(parody of "Oedipus Rex" by Tom Lehrer)

Down in Spielburg Forest, goblins did live
and one of them for the others did grieve;
he said "You follow wicked path
because you don't know any math!"

The goblins were offended, it seems
and carried their revenge to extremes;
A gesture rude they flourished at him
and so his story is rather grim!

There once was a goblin, Gobby LaPlace -
he wasn't one for making noise or fuss;
He wouldn't even swear or cuss,
but he loved math'matics!

The goblins used to say he was mad!
Math'matics? It is just a fad -
To baby goblins he was no dad
'cos he loved math'matics!


Yes, he loved math'matics
and quadratics,
not rotten-egg schematics
or a-going through attics!
He had a slide rule, drew a circle -
Goblins said he was Ang'la Merkel!

When he told them "Have a heart,"
The goblins said "Oh sod off, you old fart!"
A tragic fate for a goblin smart
who loved math'matics!

He went off to teach math'matics, it did not make him fat
but the goblins had all said it made him blind as bat --
He said that they had better let it go at that...

But he came to a very sticky end
in the end,
and

None went to class math'matetical
(Knife in the back ended his sabbatical)
Thus ends the tale of Gobby LaPlace!

[goatmeal]

All this talk of mathematics reminded me of a song parody I wrote ages and ages ago, combining three things I like -- "Quest for Glory", mathematics and music. (And goofing off). I couldn't find it, so I re-wrote it from scratch!

Just a little note: "Goblin LaPlace" is a tiny reference to Pierre-Simon LaPlace, a very real and very great mathematician and astronomer from the time of Napoleon. (His name rhymes with "fuss", not "face" ... and I shorted "goblin" to "gobby" because it's easier to sing). Enjoy!

Ah, that's great. Always love to see inspiration from the great Tom Lehrer. My chemistry professor in college was happy to see that "The Elements" was made available on CD in the early 1990s...

[Rath Darkblade]

Yep, I love Tom Lehrer's music (and dark sense of humour).

Speaking of nonsense rhymes, here's a little inspiration that hit me this morning (while shaving)

(with apologies to "Yankee Doodle")

Julius Caesar went to town
a-ridin' on a dragon;
tied it up outside a bar
and went in for a flagon.

But the barman kicked him out,
said "Pull up your bed-sheet;
it's a family 'stablishment
so go on, do a spreadsheet!"

(Feel free to continue it if you like - the sillier, the better)