Posers and Puzzles
20 Aug 07
20 Aug 07
1 edit
Start with four numbers:
a b c d
Fill in subsequent rows by taking the absolute value of the number above minus the one above and to the right:
|a-b| |b-c| |c-d| |d-a| (d has nothing to the right, so we 'wrap around' and use a)
The challenge is: Find numbers a, b, c, and d that yield 20 rows where at least one number on each row is not zero. (not counting the initial row)
Example:
If we start with 1, 2, 3, 4, we get:
1 1 1 3
0 0 2 2
0 2 0 2
2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0
This counts as 4 iterations.
20 Aug 07
Originally posted by SwissGambit100, 3, 2, 1
Start with four numbers:
a b c d
Fill in subsequent rows by taking the absolute value of the number above minus the one above and to the right:
|a-b| |b-c| |c-d| |d-a| (d has nothing to the right, so we 'wrap around' and use a)
The challenge is: [b]Find numbers a, b, c, and d that yield 20 rows where at least one number on each row is not ...[text shortened]... 2, 3, 4, we get:
1 1 1 3
0 0 2 2
0 2 0 2
2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0
This counts as 4 iterations.
?
did I understqnd the question right?
20 Aug 07
1 edit
Originally posted by agrysonUsing those numbers, i get
100, 3, 2, 1
?
did I understqnd the question right?
100 3 2 1
97 1 1 99
96 0 98 2
96 98 96 94
2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0
...which is only 4 iterations.
Order of operations is to subtract first, and then take the absolute value of that result.
22 Aug 07
Originally posted by GastelWho says they are letters?
The mistake is a b c and d are letters not numbers!!!
HA HA HA!
He says from the beginning: "Start with four numbers: a b c d"
If he says the symbols are numbers they are, believe me. They perhaps look like letters but they are in fact numbers.
Can you solve the equation 2x=4 not realizing that the x stands for a number?