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DIVINING NUMBERS THOUGHT OF
The follwing is an interesting example of old time aritmetical puzzels. It is taken from Laurechon, going back to the 17th. century.
Let someone think of three numbers; double the first one, add 5, and multiply by the sum by 5, add 10; to this add the second number and multiply by 10; then add the third number and subtract 350; the remaninder will be the three numbers in their proper order, as they were entered into the computation.
Suppose the numbers thought of were 2,3, and 4. We then proceed as follows:
- (2x2)+5=9
- (9x5)=45
- 45+10=55
- 55+3=58
- 58x10=580
- 580+4=584
- 584-350=234
which are the three numbers thought of in the order in which they were entered into the computation.
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