Grade 7 Math Problem (1 Viewer)

[chet]

My daughter was given the following math problem.

Complete the following crossword. The letters A,B,C,D,E,F below always represents the same number either 1,2,3,5,7,9

The crossword is a 4*4 grid and I will attempt to type out the grid. O is a blank (to be filled in) and @ is a black square.

OO@O

OO@O

OOO@

O@OO

The clues are as numbered as follows. H1A represents the first clue on the top line. H1B is the second clue. H3 is the only clue for the third horizontal line.

H1A (AA-BC) * (D+A)

H1B (E+C)/D

H2A F + A * E

H2B C - E/E

H3 AC * AC

H4A (B + D*D) / (C*C)

H4B F * C

V1 FB*A*(EE +A)

V2 (BBB - D) * F

V3 F * (C + BA)

V4A (BD - C) * A

V4B C * (A + A - F)

From my initial trials, I don't believe there are any constraints on the answers. i.e. The answers are not limited to 1,2,3,5,7,9. Also, an answer that is two spaces could start with a 0. For example, H2A is a 2-square answer that could be below 10.

Any ideas how best to attack this thing?

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

This seems really boring. If I were in seventh grade, I would play a video game instead.

 

[chet]

This seems really boring. If I were in seventh grade, I would play a video game instead.

I agree. That's what she's doing.

 

[Spin]

Is H2B (C-E)/E?

 

[chet]

Is H2B (C-E)/E?

No brackets. It's essentially C - 1

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Chet is Canadian?

 

[Spin]

Is H2B (C-E)/E?

No brackets. It's essentially C - 1

Well, that's annoying. N/m then.

 

[hagmania]

Answer

Spoiler

Pay off the teacher.

 

[Captain Quinoa]

The answer is.... 4?

 

[matttyl]

A has to be 1, 2, or 3...because of the H# clue.

Which means if A=1, then f=2 due to clue v4b - or if A=2, then f=1 or 3 ...or if a=3, then f=1, 2 or 5.

 

[hagmania]

Just so I'm clear, you're not supposed to fill in the crossword with A-F, just any digit? Wtf kind of homework is this.

 

[matttyl]

Just so I'm clear, you're not supposed to fill in the crossword with A-F, just any digit? Wtf kind of homework is this.

I think each of those letters A-F always equals the same digit (1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9)....so that each of the clues complete the crossword and the numbers in the crossword will be whatever numbers make it fit.

 

[matttyl]

Either F or C is 5, 7 or 9, due to clue H4B.

 

[chet]

Chet is Canadian?

Yes but this is from a French teacher. I translated.

 

[chet]

Just so I'm clear, you're not supposed to fill in the crossword with A-F, just any digit? Wtf kind of homework is this.

Yes. It's crappy homework.

 

[Hooper31]

-25

 

[chet]

Just so I'm clear, you're not supposed to fill in the crossword with A-F, just any digit? Wtf kind of homework is this.

I think each of those letters A-F always equals the same digit (1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9)....so that each of the clues complete the crossword and the numbers in the crossword will be whatever numbers make it fit.

Yes.

 

[hagmania]

Either F or C is 5, 7 or 9, due to clue H4B.

A must be 1, 2, or 3 due to clue H3

 

[BroadwayG]

D = 0

 

[chet]

Either F or C is 5, 7 or 9, due to clue H4B.

A must be 1, 2, or 3 due to clue H3

Yes. The whole clue is 31 or less.

 

[hagmania]

Yeah, just compiling clues.

I think that's just got to be the way to tackle it, then. Right down all the logical conclusions and then plug away.

 

[tjnc09]

Why do you say ABCDEF must be 1,2,3,5,7,9 then the answers are not limited to those numbers?

Any way you can attach a pic of the actual problem?

 

[chet]

Why do you say ABCDEF must be 1,2,3,5,7,9 then the answers are not limited to those numbers?

Any way you can attach a pic of the actual problem?

Yes. Later tonight.

 

[hagmania]

Alright, here you go...

10B +D - C(A) = (10E + 10C)/D + C -1

Based on V4A = 10*H1B + H2B

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

The horizontal and vertical clues align so you can form equations, right?

So the intersection of H1A and V1 is (AA-BC)*(D+A) = FB*A*(EE+A), etc.?

 

[SecondCity34]

Chet is Canadian?

Yes but this is from a French teacher. I translated.

So do we have to use the metric system?

 

[hagmania]

Bad assumption below.

Spoiler

Pretty sure C = 5

F*C - 10 = C(A + A - F)

CF - 10 = 2CA - CF

2CF - 10 = 2CA

CF - 5 = CA

C = 5

F = 2 or 3

A = 1 or 2

 

[bryhamm]

-25

 

[bostonfred]

Just so I'm clear, you're not supposed to fill in the crossword with A-F, just any digit? Wtf kind of homework is this.

Yes. It's crappy homework.

Bull####. It's awesome homework. It's a fun puzzle if you decide to actually do it instead of thinking of it as homework. That should be the whole point of math homework.

 

[bryhamm]

-25

Hooper knows his stuff

 

[hagmania]

Just so I'm clear, you're not supposed to fill in the crossword with A-F, just any digit? Wtf kind of homework is this.

Yes. It's crappy homework.

Bull####. It's awesome homework. It's a fun puzzle if you decide to actually do it instead of thinking of it as homework. That should be the whole point of math homework.

Well, I'm certainly having fun.

 

[Bucky86]

I prefer multiple choice.

 

[TheIronSheik]

#### math.

 

[hagmania]

Nevermind that last bit. Bad assumption, even if it's possibly right.

 

[chet]

Just so I'm clear, you're not supposed to fill in the crossword with A-F, just any digit? Wtf kind of homework is this.

Yes. It's crappy homework.

Bull####. It's awesome homework. It's a fun puzzle if you decide to actually do it instead of thinking of it as homework. That should be the whole point of math homework.

Hi GB.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Shame MoP retired

 

[tjnc09]

What's the prize money for the first one that gets it right?

 

[Sinn Fein]

answer

Spoiler

A=2

B=1

C=5

D=7

E=9

F=3

 

[Sarnoff]

Edit for spoiler tags.

Spoiler

Ugh. So close. A-F = 215793 got almost all the squares to work.

 

[Sinn Fein]

What's the prize money for the first one that gets it right?

 

[tjnc09]

A can not be 1 because H1A would be negative

Oops tried to quote Matty

 

[Sarnoff]

Wait, Sinn, am I right? I must have messed up some math somewhere confirming (or misread the clue numbers).

 

[Sarnoff]

Yep. Saw my error in messing up an H and a V when re-reading the clues.

 

[Sinn Fein]

It just takes playing around with the numbers a bit, and using some basic logic - i.e if an equation has to equal a single digit, that limits the numbers.

This equation: H4A (B + D*D) / (C*C) gave me those three numbers fairly quickly.

 

[tjnc09]

H1A and V4B considered together simplify it a lot. Agree with the other 2.

 

[bostonfred]

It just takes playing around with the numbers a bit, and using some basic logic - i.e if an equation has to equal a single digit, that limits the numbers.

This equation: H4A (B + D*D) / (C*C) gave me those three numbers fairly quickly.

There are lots of single digit answers to that one. 9+16/25, 7+9/4, 1+49/25, 3+4/1, etc.

 

[Sarnoff]

What's the prize money for the first one that gets it right?

Seconds you beat me by. I saw the 'one new reply' popup just as I hit post.

 

[hagmania]

It just takes playing around with the numbers a bit, and using some basic logic - i.e if an equation has to equal a single digit, that limits the numbers.

This equation: H4A (B + D*D) / (C*C) gave me those three numbers fairly quickly.

C was 5, aha!

 

[Spin]

It just takes playing around with the numbers a bit, and using some basic logic - i.e if an equation has to equal a single digit, that limits the numbers.

This equation: H4A (B + D*D) / (C*C) gave me those three numbers fairly quickly.

Damn, I had B, C, D, all correct but when doing H1B I put E as 2, which messed everything up and I didn't even consider E as 9, or I would have had the rest :( So close, there goes a good 30 minutes wasted.

 

[hagmania]

Nice work gentlemen.

I was working on a gigantic system. I refused to guess'n'check!