Ok, what's the secret of this game???

Question

http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/games/magic-gopher-central.swf

Gotta be a simple solution. It's driving me nutz!

No, no Hacker, you didnt do the math right.
It does work every time, as they both explained. BUT only up to 9x9 or 81.
Thanx!
Oh dear, now I must make a choice.......

Answer 1

The secret of the game is that by performing the mathmatical steps listed, your answers will always fall within certain parameters. Let's take a group of numbers and perform the steps required for all of them. Let's take the numbers 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 and 80.

The 'psychic' asks us to add the two digits together and then subtract that result from the original number. Then we are to apply that new number to a chart and find our symbol, which he then guesses.

75, add the two digits together = 12. 75 minus 12 is 63. The symbol is a feather. (at least on my chart)

76, add the two digits together = 13. 76 minus 13 is 63. The symbol is a feather.

77, add the two digits together = 14. 77 minus 14 is 63. The symbol is a feather.

78, add the two digits together = 15. 78 minus 15 is 63. The symbol is a feather.

79, add the two digits together = 16. 79 minus 16 is 63. The symbol is a feather.

80, add the two digits together = 8. 80 minus 8 is 72. Aha! a new number... the symbol is a feather....

All possible permutations for adding two digit numbers together and subtracting the new numbers from the original number and charting the results are found on each number that has the feather. (or whichever symbol is used when you play. They change each game.) Note that not all of the numbers with feathers next to them are possible answers. Only numbers that are divisible by 9.

All of the other numbers and their different symbols are just for looks. You can't ever create them so their symbols mean nothing.

Answer 2

The reason it works is because in the final sequence (where you pick the symbol) every number that is divisible by nine has the same symbol on it. And when you perform those few simple maths operations the answer will always be an answer that is divisible by 9....IE 9 or 18 or 27 or 36 etc.
two digits x and y
add them = x+y
take away from original figure = (x*10+y)-x-y = 9 times x
and since x is a whole figure 9 times x must always be an answer divisible by 9.

Answer 3

They already told you the secret so I'm not retyping it but, when I played the game it was actually WRONG!!!! I don't know how it happened, but I can prove the game doesn't always work!!!!