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Answer to Mathematical Puzzle
Message #1 Posted by mike reed on 7 Feb 2013, 10:30 a.m.

Monday, I posted for your entertainment an equation that when read in English reveals a rhyming poem. I promised to post the answer today, so without (much) further ado...

The equation:

(12 + 144 + 20 + (3 * 4^(1/2))) / 7) + (5 * 11) = 9^2 + 0

The answer (has the rhyming pattern of a Limerick):

A Dozen, a Gross and a Score, plus three times the square root of four, divided by seven, plus five times eleven, equals nine squared and not a bit more.

I didn't create this; I'm merely passing it along to you. I've seen it attributed to John Saxon, and also attributed to Leigh Mercer. I have no idea whom the guilty party may actually be.

Here's another example you can try to solve, also in English. (no fair Googling!)

int_(1)^(3^(1/3)) z^2 dz cos(3pi/9) = ln e^(1/3)

(Note: Readers outside the US, this works better if you allow yourself the agony of pronouncing the letter “z” as “zee”.)

I will post this answer one week from today. If you know of other examples, or would like to make up one yourself, even using languages other than English, PLEASE DO! I'd Love to see them! Thanks. Have fun!

mike

Edited: 7 Feb 2013, 10:34 a.m.

      
Re: Answer to Mathematical Puzzle
Message #2 Posted by fhub on 7 Feb 2013, 11:28 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by mike reed

Here's something similar, but probably only understandable by German people:

And you must have a bit 'dirty mind' ... ;-)

Franz

            
Re: Answer to Mathematical Puzzle
Message #3 Posted by LHH on 8 Feb 2013, 12:11 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by fhub

I've been enjoying the puzzles and problems to solve so "Thanks!" to all who have been posting them. I was meandering down the right road on this one (had mulled "dozen" and "gross") but didn't get much further. Fun to think about though so on to the next one!


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