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#1 2006-06-29 20:55:02

kieren
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the 4 4's

does anyone know the answer to the 4 4's please?dunno

#2 2006-06-30 00:46:38

MathsIsFun
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Registered: 2005-01-21
Posts: 7,711

Re: the 4 4's

Is that where you use four 4s and any operations to get the numbers from 0 to 100, like this

44-44 = 0
44/44 = 1
(4×4)/(4+4) = 2
(4+4+4)/4 = 3
...

Is that the one?


"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

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#3 2006-07-15 01:38:13

Devantè
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Registered: 2006-07-14
Posts: 6,400

Re: the 4 4's

I know this probably isn't a problem anymore as the question was asked just over 2 weeks ago, but just for reference...

Last edited by Devanté (2006-08-07 19:55:27)

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#4 2006-07-15 02:41:17

George,Y
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Registered: 2006-03-12
Posts: 1,379

Re: the 4 4's

rolleyeseekeek
IT CAN'T BE HAPPENING!!! whatwhat


X'(y-Xβ)=0

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#5 2006-07-15 02:55:46

Devantè
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Registered: 2006-07-14
Posts: 6,400

Re: the 4 4's

Did I make a mistake? sad

Ah yes, forgot the 0...

Last edited by Devanté (2006-07-15 03:20:56)

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#6 2006-07-15 03:36:06

Ricky
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Registered: 2005-12-04
Posts: 3,791

Re: the 4 4's

What, pray tell, is ~4?


"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

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#7 2006-07-15 04:08:36

Devantè
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Registered: 2006-07-14
Posts: 6,400

Re: the 4 4's

Dunno, I copied and pasted most of it from some site somewhere. Maybe they are talking about some other symbol?

EDIT: Some of it doesn't even make sense. Don't know why I didn't check it before. I'll find some other source.

EDIT 2: Never mind, answer here: http://mathforum.org/ruth/four4s.puzzle.html

Last edited by Devanté (2006-07-15 04:15:12)

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#8 2006-09-09 03:56:17

Devantè
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Registered: 2006-07-14
Posts: 6,400

Re: the 4 4's

I always wondered if the 4 4s puzzle could be done with negative numbers - Say, from 0 to -100? Or from 0 to 1000?

Nobody has tried yet, so I guess it's worth giving it a try.

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#9 2006-09-09 06:40:13

krassi_holmz
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Registered: 2005-12-02
Posts: 1,905

Re: the 4 4's

I made a program long ago for finding all possible results from the form a_b_c_d with brackets.
I can use it to fid all possibilities for the 4-4.
But it will take some time to modernise.

Last edited by krassi_holmz (2006-09-09 06:41:57)


IPBLE:  Increasing Performance By Lowering Expectations.

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#10 2006-09-09 07:17:33

krassi_holmz
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Registered: 2005-12-02
Posts: 1,905

Re: the 4 4's

It's too late now. I'll try tommorow.


IPBLE:  Increasing Performance By Lowering Expectations.

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#11 2006-09-09 12:58:43

Ricky
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Registered: 2005-12-04
Posts: 3,791

Re: the 4 4's

Remember krassi, that you can use weird operators such as ! or % or even composition of numbers.


"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

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#12 2006-09-09 18:20:20

Devantè
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Registered: 2006-07-14
Posts: 6,400

Re: the 4 4's

I wonder if exponents are allowed...if they were, it would be pretty easy to solve the 4 4s problem. You could easily get close to a number and then use 4^0 to get your number dead-on.

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#13 2006-09-09 20:06:35

Ricky
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Registered: 2005-12-04
Posts: 3,791

Re: the 4 4's

Devante, exponents are allowed.  However, 0 isn't.  And you have to use 4 and only 4 4's.


"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

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#14 2006-09-09 21:14:46

krassi_holmz
Real Member
Registered: 2005-12-02
Posts: 1,905

Re: the 4 4's

There are infinite number of numbers that can be made witn 4 4s.
Prove this! smile
And it's easy to handle all the negatihe numbers to -100, if you use the fact:
-(a)=-a!!!
Now devz, do you understand why people search only positive solutions?


IPBLE:  Increasing Performance By Lowering Expectations.

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#15 2006-09-09 21:57:50

Devantè
Real Member
Registered: 2006-07-14
Posts: 6,400

Re: the 4 4's

Hmm...never thought about it that way. I stand corrected. smile

Oh, and thanks for the info, Ricky.

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#16 2006-09-10 02:34:08

Ricky
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Registered: 2005-12-04
Posts: 3,791

Re: the 4 4's

krassi, too easy.  There are an infinite number of possible unary and binary operators that can be defined (even if they haven't).  Thus, there are an infinity ways of combining 4 4's.


"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

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