2

This is my first Puzzle posting on here. If I can figure out how to do a spoiler, I will add in a hint. Best of luck!

I heard this one a while back, and I don't know how well known it is.

Example 1:

-75 = 19
19 = 8
8 = 5
5 = 4
4 = 4

Example 2:

252 = 18
18 = 8
8 = 5
5 = 4
4 = 4

Figure out the process of how I am go form any number and get it to be 4=4.

Prove that you have figured it out how I am doing it by getting 74 all the way down to 4=4

Gamow
  • 45,573
  • 10
  • 147
  • 381
Jaconah
  • 139
  • 1
  • 4
  • Three answers in a matter of seconds... – Aggie Kidd Mar 17 '16 at 18:47
  • @AggieKidd I was surprised, I guess it more well known then I thought if was, or a lot easier then I thought it was – Jaconah Mar 17 '16 at 18:53
  • You've got an incredibly smart group of people here. They've seen a lot of things. I think I've seen this before. – Aggie Kidd Mar 17 '16 at 18:55
  • It took me 20 mins just to solve the 3 of them with knowing how to do it. They must be gods! – Jaconah Mar 17 '16 at 18:59
  • Pretty much :) Some around have a reputation for speedy answers. – Aggie Kidd Mar 17 '16 at 19:01
  • @Deusovi Yeah it's basically the exact same thing just different numbers. I just could not remember the "cosmic" part so I left it out. – Jaconah Mar 17 '16 at 19:09
  • 1
    @Jaconah: We have a lot of puzzles here. If you don't make it up yourself, I can practically guarantee we have it somewhere on here. – Deusovi Mar 17 '16 at 19:11
  • @Deusovi I heard it a very long time ago and never since I figured it was something someone in my family came up with, but I guess it was not. Sorry – Jaconah Mar 17 '16 at 19:15
  • @Jaconah: No need to apologize! It happens all the time - it can be really hard to dig through the archives, even with the search function. – Deusovi Mar 17 '16 at 19:16
  • Completely understandable @Jaconah. Thanks for posing a puzzle to us! – Khale_Kitha Mar 17 '16 at 19:50

3 Answers3

8

This puzzle is solved by

Counting the letters in the English representation of each number. Every number eventually counts down to "four", which has four letters and becomes the terminus.

I feel like the explanation of the algorithm supersedes the meaningfulness of providing a solution from a specific example, but if I am required to do so for the sake of a green check, here it is:

74 = seventy-four : 11 letters
11 = eleven : 6 letters
6 = six : 3 letters
3 = three : 5 letters
5 = five : 4 letters
4 = four : 4 letters

Ian MacDonald
  • 12,806
  • 1
  • 33
  • 63
  • That is how to figure it out but you did not prove you did by proving it by getting 74 all the way down to 4 :=) – Jaconah Mar 17 '16 at 18:49
  • That's better :=) I will be less picky if I ever come up with another one next time! – Jaconah Mar 17 '16 at 19:01
3

74 = 11
11 = 6
6 = 3
3 = 5
5 = 4
4 = 4

Gamow
  • 45,573
  • 10
  • 147
  • 381
  • Yep! You where correct I will mark you as the accepted answer when I can, I have to wait about 5 Minutes. I guess this was a lot easier then I thought it was gonna be. – Jaconah Mar 17 '16 at 18:48
  • Ian McDonald was 1 second faster than me. 2. I have seen similar puzzles before (and perhaps even on this site).
    • – Gamow Mar 17 '16 at 18:50
  • He just explained how to do it, he did not do "Prove that you have figured it out how I am doing it by getting 74 all the way down to 4=4" – Jaconah Mar 17 '16 at 18:52