TWENTY-FIVE DIVIDED BY FIVE=
1+2+3x4=
12x0=
101-99=
Add the numbers!

Hi br3illy,

TWENTY-FIVE DIVIDED BY FIVE= 5
1+2+3x4= 15
12x0= 0
101-99= 2
Add the numbers! 22

(This site helped confirm the second equation):
http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/md/order_of_operations.php

I hope that helps.

Best regards,
Rainbow

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Clarification of Answer by rainbow-ga on 07 Feb 2006 22:44 PST

After studying the question again, I have to agree that the first
equation could be read as:
TWENTY-FIVE DIVIDED BY FIVE= 20-5÷5=20-1=19

The answer would then be 36.

Since this question can be interpreted in a number of ways, I will be
asking the editors to remove my answer.

Best regards,
Rainbow

---

Request for Answer Clarification by br3illy-ga on 08 Feb 2006 07:36 PST

Well rainbow-ga. I'm very frustrated because i've given both the
answers. But they aren't correct. The question is part of a quiz and
therefore I think there's a bit more to it than just the sums. I have
presented the question just as written. Do you think you can give it a
bit more thought?

---

Clarification of Answer by rainbow-ga on 08 Feb 2006 13:06 PST

Ok, how about this:

TWENTY-FIVE DIVIDED BY FIVE= 19
1+2+3x4= 15
12x0= 0
101-99= 2
Add the numbers! 1+9+1+5+0+2=18

Thank you for all of your help with this question. I really appreciate your time.

I thought it was only in computing the multiplication was done first -
if not in brackets, shouldn't it be done sequentially?

This is from memory of BASIC programming some 25 years ago, but I do
remember that it was stressed that BASIC would not handle maths in the
same way that it would be in school - hence the warning about the
order of calculation in BASIC manuals.

Have schools now changed their ways to suit computers, is the above
question a test to see if pupils are using computers, or has this
always been the way and my Primary School taught me the wrong method?

I agree with Rainbow.  And computers aside, there is a hierarchy in
mathematical operations.  Multiplication and division come before
addition and subtraction.  This is the way it was taught in school.

I don't think this question is necessarily answered!  

TWENTY-FIVE DIVIDED BY FIVE=

This has three possible interpretations.  5 is the simplest.
But TWENTY-FIVE could equal 15 then DIVIDED BY FIVE would equal 3.
Or adhering to order of operations, TWENTY-FIVE DIVIDED BY FIVE could
mean do FIVE DIVIDED BY FIVE first, getting 1, and then TWENTY-one
yields 19.
And then there is the really abstruse interpretation, where you just
add the numbers, and not the words.  You just add: 1,2,3,4,12,0,101,
and either 99, or -99.

When I was at school which was many years before computers were
invented, we were taught that the order of resolution was BODMAS which
stood for brackets, of, divide, multiply, addition, subtraction. That
said I would guess that the fact that line 1 is in letters not numbers
is a trap and applying BODMAS the answer must be 20 - 1 = 19. So
adding all the numbers gives 36 (IMHO)

It's always seemed odd to me that multiplication and division take priority. Seems 
unlogical because you have to read through the entire problem before
you can start to solve it. Why aren't equations written more clearly,
showing "in real (reading) time", which operations should occur first?
 For example, 3+5-2x5 requires you to read through "3+5-2" before you
get to the multiplication portion. It would be much clearer to write 5
x (3+5-2) or 5(3+5-2).

It doesn't say *compute* the equations, so I would just "add the numbers"...

Thank you for the tip.
Best regards,
Rainbow

i have also been trying to work out this puzzle and I'm getting very
frustrated, i know all the wrong numbers so far and there are a couple
of hundred, including no's 0-47. and quite a lot in the 200's! It is
obvouisly cryptic, not easy at all.... be glad when over...

I've been watching the same puzzle for a while and would love to know the answer.

I'm not going to spend any more money on the quiz (I'm currently down
£3), but if you want to have a go, you're welcome.

Here's some help ...

Taking each line at a time ...

Line 1 is "TWENTY-FIVE DIVIDE BY FIVE =", this could equal 

	0 - i.e. there are no numbers only words
	3 - i.e. (20 - 5)/3
	5 - i.e. 25/5
	19 - i.e. 20 - (5 / 5)
	20 - i.e. 20 + -5 + 5
	30 - i.e. 20 + 5 + 5

Line 2 is "1 + 2 + 3 x 4 =", this could equal

	10 - i.e. 1 + 2 + 3 + 4
	15 - i.e. 1 + 2 + ( 3 x 4 )
	24 - i.e. (1 + 2 + 3) x 4

Line 3 is "12 x 0 =", this could equal

	0 - i.e. 12 x 0
	12 - i.e. 12 + 0

Line 4 is "101-99 =", this could equal

	2 - i.e. 101 + -99
	200 - i.e. 101 + 99

So the answer could be ...

 L1 +  L2 +  L3 +  L4 =   x
  0 +  10 +   0 +   2 =  12 no
  0 +  10 +   0 + 200 = 210
  0 +  10 +  12 +   2 =  24 no
  0 +  10 +  12 + 200 = 222 no
  0 +  15 +   0 +   2 =  17
  0 +  15 +   0 + 200 = 215
  0 +  15 +  12 +   2 =  29 no
  0 +  15 +  12 + 200 = 227
  0 +  24 +   0 +   2 =  26 no
  0 +  24 +   0 + 200 = 224
  0 +  24 +  12 +   2 =  38 no
  0 +  24 +  12 + 200 = 236

  3 +  10 +   0 +   2 =  15 no
  3 +  10 +   0 + 200 = 213
  3 +  10 +  12 +   2 =  27 no
  3 +  10 +  12 + 200 = 225
  3 +  15 +   0 +   2 =  20 no
  3 +  15 +   0 + 200 = 218
  3 +  15 +  12 +   2 =  32 no
  3 +  15 +  12 + 200 = 230 no
  3 +  24 +   0 +   2 =  29 no
  3 +  24 +   0 + 200 = 227 
  3 +  24 +  12 +   2 =  41 no
  3 +  24 +  12 + 200 = 239

  5 +  10 +   0 +   2 =  17
  5 +  10 +   0 + 200 = 215
  5 +  10 +  12 +   2 =  29 no
  5 +  10 +  12 + 200 = 227
  5 +  15 +   0 +   2 =  22 no
  5 +  15 +   0 + 200 = 222 no
  5 +  15 +  12 +   2 =  34 no
  5 +  15 +  12 + 200 = 232 no
  5 +  24 +   0 +   2 =  31 no
  5 +  24 +   0 + 200 = 229 
  5 +  24 +  12 +   2 =  43 no
  5 +  24 +  12 + 200 = 241 

 19 +  10 +   0 +   2 =  31 no
 19 +  10 +   0 + 200 = 229
 19 +  10 +  12 +   2 =  44
 19 +  10 +  12 + 200 = 241
 19 +  15 +   0 +   2 =  36 no
 19 +  15 +   0 + 200 = 234
 19 +  15 +  12 +   2 =  48
 19 +  15 +  12 + 200 = 246
 19 +  24 +   0 +   2 =  45 no
 19 +  24 +   0 + 200 = 243
 19 +  24 +  12 +   2 =  57
 19 +  24 +  12 + 200 = 255

 20 +  10 +   0 +   2 =  32
 20 +  10 +   0 + 200 = 230 no
 20 +  10 +  12 +   2 =  44
 20 +  10 +  12 + 200 = 232 no
 20 +  15 +   0 +   2 =  37
 20 +  15 +   0 + 200 = 235
 20 +  15 +  12 +   2 =  49
 20 +  15 +  12 + 200 = 247 no
 20 +  24 +   0 +   2 =  46 no
 20 +  24 +   0 + 200 = 244 no
 20 +  24 +  12 +   2 =  58 no
 20 +  24 +  12 + 200 = 256 

 30 +  10 +   0 +   2 =  42 no
 30 +  10 +   0 + 200 = 240
 30 +  10 +  12 +   2 =  54
 30 +  10 +  12 + 200 = 242 no
 30 +  15 +   0 +   2 =  47
 30 +  15 +   0 + 200 = 245
 30 +  15 +  12 +   2 =  59
 30 +  15 +  12 + 200 = 257
 30 +  24 +   0 +   2 =  56
 30 +  24 +   0 + 200 = 254 no
 30 +  24 +  12 +   2 =  68
 30 +  24 +  12 + 200 = 266

Note: The 'no' indicates an answer I have heard given - it is not a
difiniative list of incorrect answers.

Removing the incorrect answers and the duplicates, I'm left with the
following posible answers ...


17, 32, 37, 44, 48, 49, 54, 56, 57, 59, 68,
210,213,215,218,224,225,227,229,234,235,236,
239,240,241,243,245,246,255,256,257,266

You may also want to double check my maths :-).

Don't spend too much.

Hey, what about this then. What if TWENTY FIVE DIVIDED BY FIVE
contains Roman numerals so I=1 V=5 D=50 etc. IV=4 as well so be
caresful. VI = 6.
There are an awful lot of Roman numerals in the first part of this
question and if you use the multiplication signs (x) there are even
more in the whole question!!  Go on waste another pound!!

hi groovemasterj, i too have been watching, and trying to solve this
puzzle, out of thew answers you gave i can tell you it is not17, 32,
37, 44, 49, 54, 56, 57, 59, 68, 215, 224, 225, 227, 229, 235, 236,
239, 240, 241, 243, 255, 257, 266. SO far i have not seen to following
answers given, 49, 210, 213. 218, 234, 245, 256. That narrows it down
a little, by the way you can ebter up to 100 times on line for free in
a 30 day period, although they only call you back 1 out of 10 times,
but you should get a bout 3-5 enties www.tgbbq.co.uk.

hi bibster,
 i ahve also considered the roman numerial theory but have not yet
come up with an answer.

try using = as 11.

So was the answer 18 in the end?

How about 33? (1+2+3+4+1+2+0+1+0+1+9+9)

Whenever i've seen this on, there has also been a calculator, with the
number keys and the display lit up in green, perhaps these numbers
would be added?

I'm not sure there is a logical answer to this. Many answers seem
possible, been racking my brain over this one, but apart from the
obvious I can not see any other angles. 4 was my best shot, but I see
thats been tried. If anyone sees the answer could they please post it
here, thanks.

Just a thought, anyone tried 13500?

If this wins for someone here, send me a few quid, as I can't enter from overseas.

I still think that Roman numerals hold the key. The X and + signs are 10.
The = signs are 2, the - sign is 1.
Not counting the word twenty and five as it tells you to add the
NUMBERS, the total is 440 if I=1 V=5 X=10 +=10 ==2 -=1 D=50

It seems more than coincidental that in the word DIVIDED there are at
least 6 Roamn numerals. The total when added must be MORE than 400!!
These idiots which keep phoning in with 31 and 222 are driving me
nuts. Mind you I haven't got anything better to do.

I've Just realised that D is not 50 its 500. Sorry. This would equal 1790!!!!

Also the word Calculator consists of C L C L 

L=50
C=100

Hi all, Just thought i would ley you know that the answer was 4616. I
have no idea how that came to get this answer and it was not
explained!

These have been annoying me too. There does not appear to be any real
solution, after all, they aim to make as much money out of people who
ring up with the same answer time after time.
But it can't be anything too obscure, otherwise they'd never get away
with it. Roman Numbers may be feasible, but rather too cryptic.
I think it lies in the equals signs. The puzzles always have the
equals signs. If you were to enter the entire thing into a calculator
pressing equals when there is an equals sign, you end up with just the
result of the final line. However I've not tryed this as I'd rather
not waste money without being sure. Also it would be rather too
cryptic and underhand for them to get away with it.
But I think it's something to do with the equals signs.