Alright. I've been trying to figure this out for years. I'm hoping to gain some insight into this unique number.
Let me set it up.
Take a number, any number (4 digits is good, because so is the number I'm going to be working with, but it works with any).
I'll use 2349 (picked at random).
Now, because the number is positive, we'll subtract. We are going to subtract the digits in opposite order. So:
2349-9432 = -7053
Now that the number is negative, we will ADD the digits in opposite order. We'll continue to do this until we notice a pattern. Bear with me.
-7053 + 3507 = -3546
-3546 + 6453 = 2907
2907 - 7092 = -4185 (etc, let me just give you the answers now that you know the process)
1629, -7632, -5265, 360, 279, -495, 99, 0
That's my point. When this process is used, nearly every number imaginable goes to 0. Try it yourself!
EXCEPT 2178 and it's derivatives:
2178, -6534, -2178(!!), 6534, 2178(!!)
Do you see what I mean? Does that make sense?
Can anyone fill me in on why it's unique?
2007-08-07
17:04:10
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8 answers
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asked by
Takkuso
3
in
Mathematics