h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well spotted!

(I think we should be celebrating this year, exactly four millennia before the next invertible date)

Over to you...

You spotted it first!


What is the lowest number you can find that has the following characteristics?

Dividing it by 2, leaves a remainder of 1
Dividing it by 3, leaves a remainder of 2
Dividing it by 4, leaves a remainder of 3
Dividing it by 5, leaves a remainder of 4
Dividing it by 6, leaves a remainder of 5
Dividing it by 7, leaves a remainder of 6
Dividing it by 8, leaves a remainder of 7
Dividing it by 9, leaves a remainder of 8
Dividing it by 10 leaves a remainder of 9

2519

Well done, Czar Dene!

What comes next in these two sequences?
4,5,4,2,5,3,?
20,20,8,10,15,?

"What comes next in these two sequences?
4,5,4,2,5,3,?
20,20,8,10,15,?"

If I knew what the next number in the first sequence was (let's call it 'X'), I could tell you that the next number in the second sequence would be '3*X' - the first number of the second series is found by multiplying the first two numbers of the first series; similarly, the second number of the second series is found by multiplying the second and third numbers of the first series; and so on.

Yes, but what is the number shown by a question mark in the first series, and why?

The simplest and least improbable continuation of the sequence I've found is as follows:

4....(5,4)....2....(5,3)....1....(5,2)

The other sequence would therefore continue with a 3.



PS If the sequence is not purely mathematical, please let us know.

The first sequence is not purely mathematical.

It's 9, which is the number of letters in the word "sequences".

I don't have one to hand, sorry - do you, RE?

Correct. I do not have one readily available. Very busy time this week.

Merry Christmas to all.

What does this mean?
______ _______
______ _______
_____________
______ _______
_____________
_____________
______ _______

At first glance, it reminded me of an I Ching hexagram........... but the bottom line is that there should be no bottom line (as the name suggests).

It was not intended to be an "I Ching hexagram".

I did not have that in mind.

It may look a bit like an "I Ching hexagram" but it is not.

I didn't really think it did . The only reason I gave the idea any credence at all was that the top six lines of your diagram match Hexagram 54 (Converting Maidenhood ) - which, as you know, equates to 42 in base 13).

Converting maidenhood?

Virgin' on the ridiculous, there.

Bet you were iching to say that.

[Actually, Icy, I believe it refers to the time when the laws of that most ancient of games, Karmic Kriket* were altered to allow males to play... albeit at a more basic, physical level.


*A mind game played only by women of the purest extraction - so, no balls required.]

I am looking for a number.

5,505,005?

Maybe it's binary 1101001 (decimal 105) or, if the digits are reversed, 1001011 (decimal 75)