Puzzle

by Caffrey

Back to The Real World.

Caffrey2007-10-29 13:57:41
Looking for help with a maths puzzle. Edit: these are supposed to be 3x3 grids.

|---------------------------|
| 63 | ? | 35 |
|---------------------------|
| 99 | A=? | 98 |
|----------------------------|
| 85 | 49 | 14 |
|--------------------------- |

|---------------------------|
| 24 | 52 | 31 |
|---------------------------|
| 78 | B=? | 55 |
|---------------------------|
| 28 | 81 | ? |
|---------------------------|

What are A and B?

So far I have found a L shaped (think knight chess move) clockwise pattern, 28 + 24 = 52, 24 + 31 = 55, etc. which means the ? in the top grid becomes 148, and the ? mark in the bottom grid is 50.
However, I am stuck on the middle squares. From another part of this I have made the assumption that B is non zero. That's all I have got...

Help would be greatly appreciated!
Noola2007-10-29 14:02:30
It burns!

Sorry, I can't help. Math is my mortal enemy. That and spelling. They team up on me and abuse me quite violently.
Unknown2007-10-29 14:19:56
QUOTE(caffrey @ Oct 29 2007, 08:57 AM) 454223
Looking for help with a maths puzzle. Edit: these are supposed to be 3x3 grids.

|---------------------------|
| 63 | ? | 35 |
|---------------------------|
| 99 | A=? | 98 |
|----------------------------|
| 85 | 49 | 14 |
|--------------------------- |

|---------------------------|
| 24 | 52 | 31 |
|---------------------------|
| 78 | B=? | 55 |
|---------------------------|
| 28 | 81 | ? |
|---------------------------|

What are A and B?

So far I have found a L shaped (think knight chess move) clockwise pattern, 28 + 24 = 52, 24 + 31 = 55, etc. which means the ? in the top grid becomes 148, and the ? mark in the bottom grid is 50.
However, I am stuck on the middle squares. From another part of this I have made the assumption that B is non zero. That's all I have got...

Help would be greatly appreciated!


This looks like fun! I'm still looking at it, just wanted to point out that the ? in the bottom grid would be 133, not 50.
Caffrey2007-10-29 14:22:49
QUOTE
This looks like fun! I'm still looking at it, just wanted to point out that the ? in the bottom grid would be 133, not 50.


hmmm, what is your reasoning behind saying it is 133?

I am using the clockwise L shape to get 31 + ? = 81 Making ? = 50
Unknown2007-10-29 14:26:16
QUOTE(caffrey @ Oct 29 2007, 09:22 AM) 454228
hmmm, what is your reasoning behind saying it is 133?

I am using the clockwise L shape to get 31 + ? = 81 Making ? = 50


Good point. Apparently the L shape rule doesn't work for the middle columns. I was noticing 52+81=133 and 78+55=133.

The same thing doesn't work for the top grid, though. 99+98 != 14, etc. Apparently the rule isn't actually the L shape, but a corner plus the next corner equals the box after the next corner. The L shape works, but only if you start on a corner.

EDIT: Random note, the bottom centers are both perfect squares. As a random guess, I would bet their square root plays into it somehow.
Caffrey2007-10-29 15:05:23
Yeah the sum of the centre row or column in A are both 197+A, and in B they are 133+B, and 197 is prime... but 133 is not sad.gif

The sum of the columns in A are 247, 197+A, 147. Where 197 is the midpoint of the other two. the same works for the rows and for grid B. But it is very unlikely that A or B are 0... so. So I have no idea.

Edit: Ahem. I have been missled by the friend who showed me this puzzle. I was made to believe that the puzzle required a number for the centre. Having looked at it again, I am now certain that the numbers I found for the outside are the ones needed. There is no number for the centre. Topic closed! Move along now, nothing to see here!