5
9
11
13
15
6.
+
+
+
+
+
+
12x22
+
+
17
82x92
19
92x102
=?
22x32
32x42
42x52
52x62
62x72
72x82
9
19
a.
99
b.
110
19
C.
100
d.
10
10
19
Answers
Answer:
It's impossible, unless you use some non-standard definition for 'odd'. Note that by definition, a number n is odd if there exists some integer k such that
n = 2*k + 1
Given that definition, the sum of 5 odd numbers looks like this:
(2a+1) + (2b+1) + (2c+1) + (2d+1) + (2e+1) = 2(a+b+c+d+e) + 5 = 2(a+b+c+d+e+2) + 1
which, by definition, is an odd number. So if you just stay within standard base 10 arithmetic, there is no solution.
However, by moving outside standard base 10 arithmetic, there are at least two ways to generate an infinite number of solutions to the riddle.
1) We can make use of of other bases, e.g.,
3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 5 = 17 (base 10) = 32 (base 5)
To generalize this, suppose we have 32 in some base, B. Then in base 10, this is equal to
3B + 2
and we want that to be equal to the sum of 5 odd numbers:
3B + 2 = 2(a+b+c+d+e) + 5
Following our pattern above, let's say that
a = b = c = d (e.g., a=1, so 2*a+1=3)
and
e = a + 1 (i.e., the next odd number)
Then we have
3B + 2 = 2(5a+1) + 5
3B + 2 = 10a + 2 + 5
3B = 10a + 5
B = (10a + 5)/3
So here are just a few of the infinitely many possibilities:
a B Odd numbers
--- --------- -------------------
1 15/3 = 5 3, 3, 3, 3, 5
4 45/3 = 15 9, 9, 9, 9, 11
7 75/3 = 25 15, 15, 15, 15, 17
In other words, for any whole number k, the numbers
a = b = c = d = 3k+1
e = 3k+3
are four odd numbers in base 10 that add up to 32 in base
B = (10a + 5)/3
= (10(3k+1) + 5)/3
2) We can make use of modular arithmetic, i.e., the kind of
'arithmetic' that we use with clocks, where
9 a.m. + 5 hours = 2 p.m.
On a 12-hour clock, 12 is the same as 0. Similarly, on a '35-hour
clock', 35 is the same as 2, so
35 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 5 = 0 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 5 = 32
For that matter, for any positive integer k,
k*35 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 5 = 32 (modulo 35)
Of course, you can generalize this to an infinite number of moduli, so
long as you choose an odd modulus greater than 32. (A 12-hour clock
has a modulus of 12.) That is,
k*m + (any four odd numbers that add up to 32) = 32 (modulo m)
I'm sure there are other ways to generate solutions as well.
Does this help?
Answer:
B is the answer of the above given questions