April 2022
Problem of the Month

Cable Search



Mr. P's cable provider allows him to search for a program title using the keypad on his remote.   For example, he would press 8-4-3-6-2-6-9-4-6-5-6-3-9-4-6-3-4-6-4-8-9 to search for "The Man Who Knew Infinity" (the 2015 movie about Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan). The search engine usually finds the title long before Mr. P has typed in all the numbers.

In this puzzle, you are to use the standard keypad to determine the three math words below.



Word #1:   3-7-8-2-8-4-6-6

Word #2:   4-3-6-6-3-8-7-9

Word #3:   7-8-2-8-7-2-2-8-4-6-6





The answers are:
Word #1:   EQUATION

Word #2:   GEOMETRY

Word #3:   SUBTRACTION



Correctly solved by:

1. Kennedy Vis Central High School,
Grand Junction, Colorado
2. Sidona Johnston Central High School,
Grand Junction, Colorado
3. Ritwik Chaudhuri Santiniketan, West Bengal, India
4. Veena Mg Bangalore, Karnataka, India
5. Colin (Yowie) Bowey Beechworth, Victoria, Australia
7. Davit Banana Istanbul, Turkey
8. Sara Gagler Central High School,
Grand Junction, Colorado
9. Mrs. Torres' 6th grade science students St Benedict Preparatory School,
Chicago, Illinois
10. Jonathan Punke Bremen High School,
Midlothian, Illinois
11. Mrs. Painter’s Geometry Class Broome High School,
Spartanburg, South Carolina
12. Emalee Bugas Mountain View High School,
Mountain view, Wyoming
13. Indianna Covington Mountain View High School,
Mountain view, Wyoming
14. Mya Marquez Central High School,
Grand Junction, Colorado
15. Dr. Hari Kishan D.N. College,
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India


Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher