Oooohh .. a PUZZLE !

(6*6+6)/6 = 7  ...no

(6+6)/6 + 6 = 8  ...no

(6 + 6) \ 6 + 6 = 8
(6 - 6) x 6 + 6 = 12
((6*6) +6)/6 = 7
(6+6+6)/6 = 3
(6*(6+6) / 6 = 12

Going on, etc. It'll not work. The Maths is right.

I think that's impossible, because straight off I realised that you are only working with numbers in the 6 times table, no matter what you do. Is nine one of them?

Well, we had fun trying. But this one is headed for the circular file.

I hope random_blonde can tell us what her teacher reckons the answer is.

Probably involves standing a 6 on its head

MathsIsFun wrote:

I tried dozens of combinations and none of them work ... it may be impossible to do following those instructions!

Nothing is really impossible in life but in maths that is the hard thing about their is only one answer and quite a lot of things are impossible in MATHS!!!!!!!!!!!

yes but they aren't real are they

Um, undefined.

important thing here...not real

Mr T wrote:

important thing here...not real

Yes, that is what is so interesting. Maths goes beyond what we think is real, and shows us a reality far exceeding our normal experience. Every so often this new reality shows us a new thing about our normal life.

The "i"s have it

Yes, the classic way to show an "imaginary number" is to use an i (or sometimes a j).

So, 4i is 4 times the square root of -1

And a "Complex Number" is one that includes "Real" and "Imaginary" numbers. So, for example 2 + 3i is a complex number.

Neither is a jellyfish which can speak three hundred european languages, do you hear anyone complaining?