Use the digit "4" four times along with the following operations: subtraction (-), addition (+), multiplication (*), and division (/) to result in the answer 10. You may use parenthesis to control the order of operations.
For example, if you were solving for 3, you could use ( 4 + 4 + 4 ) / 4 because 12 divided by 4 is 3.
Or, if you feel there is no solution, provide a proof.
No, this isn't my homework. This is my friend's kid's homework and having accomplished a Math minor I feel I should have been able to solve his junior high homework!
2006-08-28 07:46:13 · 13 answers · asked by FreshMeat 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
This MAY NOT be solvable. The homework required solving seven of ten equations of which this was one. The question that arose was...is this solvable or not?
2006-08-28 08:00:52 · update #1
It isn't solvable ... you could do it if you have one more 4 to work with:
4 + (4 + 4) / 4) + 4 = 10
4 + (8 / 4) + 4 = 10
4 + 2 + 4 = 10
The closest you can get to it is 9
4 + (4 / 4) + 4
4 + 1 + 4
EDIT: owww i feel tricked now ... your title and what you wrote is not the same. You lead a lot of people to believe the wrong thing so no one could get the answer. linlyons had the right answer.
( -.-)
2006-08-28 08:18:03 · answer #1 · answered by Icon 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I, honestly don't think it's possible - i've tried! Haha, good one though, I also fiddled about with it, I think at one point I made it work using -4 but I might be making that up.
And I think the reason you can't do it is because the number four is by no ways connected to the number ten through multiplication, subtraction etc. I think if you were uber clever - and I think we did this in maths once, you can draw a little line graph and the lines belonging to to ten and four would never meet.
I could also be bullshite-ing again... who knows! :D
2006-08-28 08:04:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The closest I get is 4/4+4+4=9
2006-08-28 08:16:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe this is solveable mainly because multiple uses of the same sign would cause it to be off by at least 2 the closest I can come is (4*4)-4-4 but that only gets you 8 Good luck.
2006-08-28 08:07:18 · answer #4 · answered by Sniper 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since you say 'digit' then I'd say that the equation:
(44 - 4)/4 = 10
is allowed.
2006-08-28 08:37:10 · answer #5 · answered by thomasoa 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe there is an answer because I have tried it many ways and have yet to come up with the answer that you are looking for. hope you find it
2006-08-28 07:55:44 · answer #6 · answered by sprtsnj89 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's one of those false, not solveable problems. NO SOLUTION ! My husband and I sat here trying to figure it out several different ways.
2006-08-28 07:52:12 · answer #7 · answered by tumadre 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
if four 4's
2006-08-28 09:03:06 · answer #8 · answered by jcmsc22 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
wow... great question. played around with it for about 10 mins, can't figure it out.
2006-08-28 07:58:10 · answer #9 · answered by Chicken Jones 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
should try bluegene doing this 4 u.....
2006-08-28 08:00:42 · answer #10 · answered by deviljin_svs 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋