An amusing distraction ... but how does the wee cartoon character do it?

all i get is a green screen? is it vertical imagination snooker?

what were barn owls called before barns were invented?

he's better at sums than me

The clever git!

Steve B

The answer is 9.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

5 actually

Steve B

6

Calling the mathematically minded - how does it work?

Mike

Your answers are constrained by the laws of math. You will find, with respect to doing the game while picking only three numbers, for instance, that no matter how you arrange them and do the subtraction, the digits in the answer will sum to either 9 or 18. Hence,

743 - 437 = 306 and 3+0+6 = 9.
or

437 - 374 = 63 and 6+3 = 9.

No matter what three numbers you choose, or in what combination you arrange them for subtraction, the asnwer will ALWAYS consist of digits whose sum is 18 or 9.

Then, once you punch in those numbers other than the one you circled, it merely subtracts them from either 18 or 9 to arrive at the correct circled number.

The principle is similar for four digit numbers. Hence,

3629 - 2693 = 936 and 9+3+6 = 18

or

7428 - 2847 = 4581 and 4+5+8+1 = 18.

Same thing.

Somebody with TOO much time on his hands could do a "proof" which demonstrates much the same thing.

Judd

quote:

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Originally posted by Justin:
Your answers are constrained by the laws of math. You will find, with respect to doing the game while picking only three numbers, for instance, that no matter how you arrange them and do the subtraction, the digits in the answer will sum to either 9 or 18.

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Actually, it will be a multiple of 9. I've encountered some that add up to 27. As you use progressively larger numbers, this becomes more crucial.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

I was given "6" as the answer.