Did You Find Out? Get the Answer to the Riddle of E-News Issue No. 5, September 2019
Thinking Outside the Box
Solve the brain teaser.
Marvin is a good student and is especially gifted in math. He loves to solve math problems that require him to think outside of the box. So, his teacher presents him with the following riddle:
26 parameters (a to z) are given with the following values:
a = 1, b = 2, c = 3, d = 4, …, z = 26
Calculate the result of the following expressions:
(a – x) * (b – x) * (c – x) * (d – x) * … * (z – x) = ?
Help Marvin to solve this puzzler and find out how to get the answers as quickly as possible.
Solution
The solution for this task becomes clear when the multiplication is started backwards.
…. (w-x) * (x-x) * (y-x) * (z-x) = ?
As can be seen, the third to last expression is "(x-x)" which results in "0."
If one of the factors in the multiplication is "0," the result of the total multiplication is "0." Therefore, the solution of this task is "0," too.
If Martin recognizes this, he does not have to go through the complete calculation path to get to the solution.
Pepperl+Fuchs GB Ltd.
77 Ripponden Road
Oldham OL1 4EL, Lancs.
United Kingdom
sales@gb.pepperl-fuchs.com
+44 161 6336431
Pepperl+Fuchs is a leading developer and manufacturer of electronic sensors and components for the global automation market. Continuous innovation, enduring quality, and steady growth have been the foundation of our success for more than 70 years. Pepperl+Fuchs employs 6,300 people worldwide and has manufacturing facilities in Germany, USA, Singapore, Hungary, Indonesia and Vietnam, most of them ISO 9001 certified.