Re: A Trivial Arithmetic Problem

On Sat, 21 Jun 2025 6:56:02 +0000, Mark Brader wrote:

Carl Ginnow:

Hints : The starting number is 13.  After each operation, the result is
a whole number. Use this fact to check answers at each "Divide by"
operation.
>
Start with an unlucky number for a Friday.

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13.
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Multiply by the gables on Hawthorn's house.

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*7 = 91.
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Add the number a stitch in time saves.

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+9 = 100.
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Add the number of blind mice.

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+3 = 103.
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Subtract the number of William Pène du Bois' balloons.

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(First google.)
-21 = 82.
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Add the number of wonders of the world.

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+7 = 73.

82 + 7 = 89

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Subtract the number of miles in Camptown's racetrack.

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+5 = 68.

89 - 5 = 84

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Subtract the number of strings on a violin.

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-4 = 64.

84 - 4 = 80

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Divide by the number of vertices on a regular hexahedron.

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/8 = 8.

80 / 8 = 10

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Add the number of the engine that ran on Chicago line.

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(Second google.)
One source says 9, another 999.
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+ that = 17 or 1007.

10 + 9 = 19

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Multiply by the number of gentlemen of Verona.

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*2 = 34 or 2014.

19 * 2 = 38

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Add the atomic number of the element whose symbol is the 25th letter of
the alphabet.

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(I thought I knew it, but I did a third google to make sure.)
+39 = 73 or 2053.

38 + 39 = 77

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Divide by the number of hills of Rome.

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/7 = not an integer in either case.  I give up.

77 / 7 = 11
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