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

What I did with those spare moments I don't have

Posted Apr 19, 2002

Early in my travels through the Guide, I came across the page devoted to Myth of 42 (A530560). It's been mulling through my brain, and I finally picked up my pen and looked at my researcher number (seen when I first signed up but ignored since then). After much manipulation and frustration, I obtained numbers frustratingly close to the goal. I was beginning to be worried when 41 and 43 were popping up fairly frequently. Would I be the first researcher to fail this test? Would I be accused of spying (or worse)? What would happen if I couldn't make it? I suppose I would have asked for help before admitting my number couldn't be turned into 42.

Arrggghhhh.....I should NOT be spending my time on this! As a university student with plenty of work on my plate at the moment (besides a full-time career-type job), this 42-stuff should be put aside for a more appropriate moment--especially since I really needed to study for an upcoming test.

Ah well, what the heck; it's only school work. I pressed on with my calculations. I must be able to find an answer to this! After all, I've taken math through calculus....this should NOT be beyond me! At last, success.....of a sort. The use of the square function is supposedly to be avoided as it smacks of cheating (I understand, it's like using the same number more than once), but due to the 9 and 5 in my number, straightforward calculations were not working. So....drum roll....here it is:

-1 + (9^2) - (2+2) - (3^2) - (5^2)

Hmmmm, there's an awful lot of square roots in there. Perhaps I should ask for help after all.

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Latest reply: Apr 19, 2002