puzzle solution

From: Owen Jones <oj_at_maths.anu.edu.au>
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 1997 16:44:46 +1000 (EST)


For those who forgot, the problem was as follows...

>You are presented with a silver medallion. On one side is engraved
>the number 128, surrounded by seven small rubies. On the other side, the
>medallion is divided into quarters, and in the four parts are the numbers
>7, 21, 2 and 98.
>
>Evidently, the sum of these four numbers is 128. But what is the meaning
>of the four parts into which the number 128 has been divided?

Solution: the medallion concerns relations between the number 128 and the number 7. To start with we have:

        128 = 2^7 (2 to the power 7) = 7 + 21 + 2 + 98. However, the numbers 7, 21, 2 and 98 are further related. Add 7 to the first, subtract 7 from the second, multiply the third by 7, divide the fourth by 7, and you will get the same result:

	7 + 7 = 14
	21 - 7 = 14
	2 * 7 = 14
	98 / 7 = 14.

Clearly, a powerful talisman for some lunar mystic...

Owen Jones
Centre for Maths and its Applications, School of Math. Sciences Australian National University, ACT 0200 Ph +61 6 249 2897 (office) 249 4552 (direct) Fax +61 6 249 4675 Web page http://wwwmaths.anu.edu.au/~oj/


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