Best Number

[Tricky]

The rules for determining the central number is different for each of the three puzzles below (A, B & C). Once you have determined the rule (or formula), you should be able to solve for the last square in each sequence...

A small hint if needed (but try solving first without the hint)... <span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #000000; font-weight: bold"><font color=yellow>The puzzle was made using Excel. The four small numbers on the outside of each bigger square were put in place first. Then a formula using those four numbers was written into the bigger square. The formula was then copied to each of the other big squares in the line. Except, the last square and that's for you to solve. So, if nothing is clicking, you might try using Excel.</font color=yellow></span hi>

[sdckapr]

[img]/forums/images/smilies/cool.gif[/img] <span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #000000; font-weight: bold"><font color=yellow>0= (NE-NW) * (SW+SE)</font color=yellow></span hi>

Steve

[Tricky]

Steve, good job. You're exactly right! <img src=/S/cheers.gif border=0 alt=cheers width=30 height=16>

[Ruff_Hi]

A: <span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #000000; font-weight: bold"><font color=yellow>9.5 = +a_a+c_c/2+d_d-b_b+(+c_c-b_[img]/forums/images/smilies/cool.gif[/img]*b_b*(d_d-d_d)/72*25.5

where
a_a is NE
b_b is SE
c_c is SW
d_d is NW
</font color=yellow></span hi>

Its not pretty but it works.

[Tricky]

<span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #000000; font-weight: bold"><font color=yellow>Amazingly, I was able to make your formula work for the 1st, 3rd & 4th examples in Line A. Perhaps, the formula worked for you in the 2nd example also (I may not have applied your formula as you intended). In any event, if it worked for you all the way across, then your response is acceptable. I had a different but not necessarily better solution:</font color=yellow></span hi>

<span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #000000; font-weight: bold"><font color=yellow>Using your notation: =+(((D*10)+A)-((B*10)+©))/2</font color=yellow></span hi>

<span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #000000; font-weight: bold"><font color=yellow>Basically, the two numbers at the top of the box (2 & 8) become 28. The two numbers at the bottom of the box (4 & 4) become 44. Subtract 28 from 44 and divide by 2 will get you the number in the center: 8. This formula will work for each of the examples. So the other solution is 11.</font color=yellow></span hi>

[Ruff_Hi]

Line A Part 2 = <span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #000000; font-weight: bold"><font color=yellow> 1 + 7/2 + 3 - 7 + (7 - 9) * 9 * (3 - 7) / 72 * 25.5 = -1.5 + -2 * 9 * -4 / 72 * 25.5 = -1.5 + 72 / 72 * 25.5 = -1.5 + 25.5 = 24
</font color=yellow></span hi>

[Tricky]

I see <img src=/S/cheers.gif border=0 alt=cheers width=30 height=16>

By the way, my apologies to the loungers who may have tried puzzle C. I had the decimal places set to zero, which results in a misleading number in the 4th example in that line. The puzzle becomes "solvable" when the number in the middle, in the 4th example, is changed to 11.5. Just change the '12' to 11.5, otherwise, the puzzle works fine. <img src=/S/stupidme.gif border=0 alt=stupidme width=30 height=30>

[bandido]

Thank goodness for that! I thought it was just me. <img src=/S/nuts.gif border=0 alt=nuts width=15 height=15>

[Tricky]

So, I assume you got it?

[bandido]

Actually Ricky, I didn't. I spent a long time trying to solve them on a number of occasions and finally gave up in a state of total admiration. Damn fine puzzle, Sir! Any more Tricky specials imminent?

[Tricky]

Well, you didn't ask, but here's the solution to the final puzzle in the set...

<span style="background-color: #FFFF00; color: #000000; font-weight: bold"><font color=yellow>Moving clockwise from the upper left position, simply add the first three numbers, take half that sum and add the remaining number from the bottom left position. That will give you the answer in the middle. So the solution is 20.5 or just 21.</font color=yellow></span hi>

The more I look at it, the more I don't like it. Terrible puzzle, let's move on...

<img src=/S/cheers.gif border=0 alt=cheers width=30 height=16>

[bandido]

Don't be too harsh. It was a good puzzle since the ground rules for this one were well laid out. Congratulate yourself for taking the time to create it and providing hours of frustration (and pleasure) for us enigmatophiles. <img src=/S/cheers.gif border=0 alt=cheers width=30 height=16>