November 2017
Problem of the Month

Addition Problem



Can you determine the answer to this problem?
There are two different correct answers -- can you find both of them?




Solution to the Problem:

The two answers are 40 and 96.

SOLUTION 1
Add 1 + 4 to reach the answer 5.
Then add 2 + 5 to the sum of 5 to get an answer of 12.
Use the same process in the next line, adding 3 + 6 to get 9, then add nine to the sum in the equation above (12) to reach the figure 21.
In the last stage, Add 8 + 11 to get 19, before adding it to the sum of the previous line (21) to get 40.

SOLUTION 2
Add 1 to 4 x 1.
Using that formula, add 2 to 2 x 5 to get 12.
Then add 3 to 6 x 3 to get 21.
And to reach the final answer, Add 8 to 11 x 8 to get 96.

Caleb Frazier and Mishan Kasipsarsad sent in a third possible solution of 52.

Here is Mishan's explanation:
the sequence I see is that the 2nd number is being multiplied by the line number it appears on..
1 + 4 (x1)
2 + 5 (x2)
3 + 6 (x3)
8 + 11(x4) = 52

Here is Caleb's explanation: 
x + y = z       x + y(n) = z
1 + 4 = 5       1 + 4(1) = 5
2 + 5 = 12      2 + 5(2) = 12
3 + 6 = 21      3 + 6(3) = 21
8 + 11 = ?      8 + 11(4) = 52




Correctly solved by:

1. John Holgate Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
2. Brianna Tims Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
3. Lynette Arias Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
4. Taylor Lawyer Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
5. Jacob Branson Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
6. Ivy Joseph Pune, Maharashtra, India
7. Nathan Workman Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
8. Kaylee Smith Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
9. Anna M. Crabtree MCC Penn Valley,
Kansas City, Missouri
10. Linzy Carpenter Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
11. Hope Pfeifer Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
12. Baylee Tims Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
13. Brijesh Dave Mumbai City, Maharashtra, India
14. Jenna Sutliff Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
15. Sascha Moline Calgary, Alberta, Canada
16. Ashton Walk Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
17. Triniti Rogers Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
18. Faith Pfeifer Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
19. Ashlee Rudy Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
20. Caleb Frazier Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
21. Bryce Villanueva Victoria, Minnesota
22. Celton Perry Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
23. Breanna Hood Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
24. Adalene Thomas Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
25. Gauge Lockhart Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
26. Trinity Brown Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
27. Sameha Haque Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
28. Mishan Kasipsarsad Johannesburg, South Africa
29. Alexis Saxton Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
30. Claire Corbasson Delta High School,
Delta, Colorado
31. Ethan Busse Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming
32. Kaytri Flint Mountain View High School,
Mountain View, Wyoming

Honorable mention:
The following solved one part of the problem:

Alyssa Rippetoe of Mountain View High School in Mountain View, Wyoming

Jenna Sutliff of Delta High School in Delta, Colorado

James Alarie of Flint, Michigan

Jonathan Punke of Joliet Central High School in Joliet, Illinois

Achla Singh

Darion Strait of Delta High School in Delta, Colorado



Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher