Math Problem

Do you get it?

2? (Brought to you by the mind of a pre-schooler.)

First time I saw this, I spent a solid 10 minutes pouring over it, racking my brain to no avail. So I internet'd the answer. berkeley it.

Funny how we do tend to over-analyse these type of things, (<- that's possibly a clue of sorts).

I know the answer, but I couldn't figure it out myself; someone showed me. I've seen this a few times over the years, someone always wants to try and stump the math major with the really hard "math" problem. Except it isn't a math problem.

Still fun though.

Grtechguy wrote: Do you get it?

Nope. I am terrible at this stuff.

Yes, the answer is 2. Wanna know how I got it?

8888 = 8

Conquest351 wrote: Yes, the answer is 2. Wanna know how I got it?

nope, 288

288 = 4

I haven't got a clue.

maybe 8?

Will someone please show this to their pre-school aged child? I don't see how someone who is just learning to count and possibly add/subtract can arrive at a solution here.

Then again, I am a moron.....

please post the answer and how you arrive at it.

Grtechguy wrote: Do you get it?

Number of loops in each sequence?

Oh brother! I'm totally a visual, not logical person and I never would've gotten that in a million years.

pretty cool.

Progression: "How can a preschooler solve it if they don't know mathematics?" Then I started looking for shapes. I'm not sure if I should be proud of that or not. Without the "preschooler" clue, I don't know if I ever would've made the connection.

I had a guy do a puzzle like this in an interview once. I had just gotten back from a 16 hour drive (for work) after 35 straight days of work and I was 'lucky' to get an interview with a different part of the company. I was completely out of my mind tired and was having trouble with coherent sentences. After 5 minutes of small talk he presents a geometric puzzle that had a trick to it and asked me how I'd solve it. I started writing and attacked in a conventional way with SOH CAH TOA and when I got to the point where I couldn't calculate cos in my head I told him I had gotten as far as I could. He proceeded to do some little trick that was only applicable in this one very specific situation. I asked him if he developed that himself or if someone taught it to him. He said that a college professor had taught him. I then asked what he was trying to prove? He looked puzzled. You've now proven that you took a class with a professor that I didn't. How does that relate to my ability to do the work for you?
I didn't get the job. Still hate that guy.

I still don't get it.

Clever.

Here's one I actually heard on Car Talk many years ago. Still one of my favorite number puzzles.

1

11

1211

111221

312211

????

And if you can get that far you should be able to complete the sequence to infinity.

jg

Zomby Woof wrote: I still don't get it.

How many circles do you see in the 4 digit numbers?

JG Pasterjak wrote: Clever. Here's one I actually heard on Car Talk many years ago. Still one of my favorite number puzzles. 1 11 1211 111221 312211 ???? And if you can get that far you should be able to complete the sequence to infinity. jg

13112221?

Knurled wrote:

Grtechguy wrote: Do you get it?

Number of loops in each sequence?

Yes, The answer is indeed two.

poopshovel wrote:

Zomby Woof wrote: I still don't get it.

How many circles do you see in the 4 digit numbers?

AAAAAUUUUUGGGHHHH.

poopshovel wrote:

JG Pasterjak wrote: Clever. Here's one I actually heard on Car Talk many years ago. Still one of my favorite number puzzles. 1 11 1211 111221 312211 ???? And if you can get that far you should be able to complete the sequence to infinity. jg

13112221?

Ding ding.

Winnah

jg

poopshovel wrote: How many circles do you see in the 4 digit numbers?

Thanks. Never would have gotten that.

you have got to be kidding me.....

That is not at all a math problem..