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

Posted: Monday 19 June 2006 23:19:46

I see some of the wafflers have resumed the silly story they were telling some time ago, so I'll give that a miss for a while.

I hope I've got your 42 correct - I did check it several times before I removed the minus sign. There's nothing more embarrassing than correcting someone only to find that you've got it wrong yourself. I'm still checking - Mr Worry.

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:02:25

Something odd happened just now with the 3 min delay - it seemed to be less in MC, ie 1 min, although when I went back into the waffle thinking it had been cut, it was still 3 mins there. We shall see no doubt.

I'm still here if you pop in later but I'm going downstairs for a bit. If I don't see you, hope school's OK tomorrow and no bad dreams.

Hi Andy,
Just returned - now I'm puzzled by my 42! I've got it scribbled down upstairs but it seemed to work with the -1...and I did see just now straightaway that I'd missed a bracket... Can't see how it works at all now (maths bit of brain needs cranking up again!) - I'll pop up to find my workings out!

v kind of you to say brilliant but now I'm not so sure...back in a mo.

MJ

OK this is how I did it (probably got a major error so that's why it wasn't obvious to you!)

(2 * ( -1 + (2 * 51) + 4)) / 5 = 42

2 * 51 is 102

Need 105 so can multiply it by the first 2 to make 210.

So, need to add 3 to 102 which is why I had -1 + 4 = 3

2 * 105 = 210.

210/5 = 42.

How did you make it 42 with +1?

Puzzled of Ch!!!

Where are you Andy? I NEED TO KNOW IF I'M CORRECT!!!

Impatient of Ch!!!

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:26:24

I'm here, just doing a bit of maths!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be patient.

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:28:19

And stop shouting!!!!!!!!!!!

You've had ages to check my sum. HURRY UP!!! Ooops I mean hurry up!

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:32:56

You're even more brilliant than I thought.........I think!

Both seem to be correct although my brain is starting to wind down for the night - sums to follow

You're doing this deliberately aren't you...SPEED UP - I want confirmation of my utter brilliance...ho ho ho. But how can +1 be right too???

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:34:55

Yours is

(2 * ( -1 + (2 * 51) + 4)) / 5 = 42

which is correct

and mine is

((2 * (1 + (2 * 51))) + 4) / 5 = 42

ie 2*51=102
+1 = 103
*2 = 206
+4 = 210
/5 - 42

yippee!!!

that's amazing, your's was correct except that because you had yr brackets incomplete, I did the sum differently and thought the -1 should be +1

214/5 does not make 42

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:41:55

>>You're doing this deliberately aren't you...SPEED UP<<

I've worked as quickly as I can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:44:10

214/5 does not make 42

you're right, it doesn't.

This is even more wierd (sic) than talking about the Mr Men in the early hours of the morning!!

AHHHHHH!!! (As in not Cute Kitten)It all boils down to brackets!!! Isn't that funny that it works with +1 or -1!!! If it hadn't worked with +1 I suppose you'd have realised what I meant originally. (Memo to self: Must learn to use brackets correctly.) Thanks for explaining - sorry I shouted grovel grovel

MJ

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:47:12

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and mine is

((2 * (1 + (2 * 51))) + 4) / 5 = 42

ie 2*51=102
+1 = 103
*2 = 206
+4 = 210
/5 - 42

yippee!!!

Except of course for the typo....permit me to correct it:
/5 = 42!!!

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:49:36

I am truly stunned by this - brackets are vital but to have both of our sums working, but with different brackets - wow!

Why do you want wierd not weird? Have I spelled it wrong again somewhere? The lovely Achilles taught me that one! He also taught me brackets...he'll be sadly shaking his head at the mix-up I caused with their omission. Wonder if he reads these when he's v bored at work? Wonder if anyone does? Hellooooooo!!! Anyone lurking????

MJ

Posted: Tuesday 20 June 2006 00:52:46

>>Except of course for the typo....permit me to correct it:
/5 = 42!!!<<

Right, that's it young lady, I've had just about as much of this as I can take! There I was working under intense pressure from you and I make a very very slight error - I don't have to do this you know. I could be - erm - erm - well I'm sure there's something else I could be doing.