December 2009
Problem of the Month

Numbers and Operations

Take the numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Using each number exactly once, and selecting any math operations (but each operation can only be used once),
you must end up with the number 26.

The following solution is not acceptable because the multiplication operator is used twice:
2 x 3 + 4 x 5 = 26

You may use addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, parentheses, square root, and exponentiation.

Solution to the Problem:

There are at least two possible answers:
25 + 4 - 3 = 26

4 - 3 + 5² = 26

I accepted the following: 5(2*3)-4=26.
It didn't use the same multiplication symbol twice so that's why I counted it.

Correctly solved by:

1. John Funk	Ventura, California
2. Hazen Dickerson	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
3. Austin Hale	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
4. Tawny Bugas	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
5. Trey Briggs	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
6. Kaycie Rees	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
7. Michael Black	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
8. Zachary Gray	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
9. Cassie Henry	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
10. Sierra West	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
11. Makayla Wisenbaker	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
12. Preston Condos	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
13. Tori Johnson	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
14. Chelsea Sidwell	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
15. Ali Lindemood	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
16. Taiya Cheney	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
17. Courtney Peterson	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
18. Sammy Hood	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
19. Kaylie Johnson	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
20. Bo Aimone	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
21. Mark Kampman	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
22. Clint Lamb	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
23. Michael Brown	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming
24. McKinna Salsbury	Mountain View High School, Mountain View, Wyoming

Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher