Help with Brain Teaser

Gigazombie Cybermage

Our Math teacher gave us this problem in class just for fun.

You have five cards with individual numbers on each: 6, 2, 7, 4, and and equal sign (=). You can shuffle the cards around anyway you want, but you have to somehow make a true statement out of only these cards. I'm of the opinion that it's a trick question, but what do you guys think? Hmmm... could it be that we can actually use the cards more than once, and he simply means we couldn't add a card with a different number or symbol on it? Sigh... I dunno, it's driving me crazy.

Metalbourne

Well 6/2 = 7-4

But I have the feeling that its something stupid like flipping the number cards over and two cards equals two cards.

Gigazombie Cybermage

Yeah, the only thing I'm allowed to use is the numbers and the equal sign, no other symbols like a plus or minus symbol or anything.

Foomy

how is the 4 written on the card? if it's like the font here on the forum you could do this by covering part of the 4 and flipping the 6: (excuse the shit quick paint drawing)

Gigazombie Cybermage

Now that's interesting... That might actually be it.

CycloneRanger

There's a difference between "out of only these cards" and "out of all these cards".

I'd just go with "2+4 = 6" and call it done.

[Edit: I'm assuming you can use some basic operators between them, at least, or this is flat impossible, since you weren't given two of the same number. Hard to solve without the exact text of the question.]

Orogogus

An alternative might be 7^2 = 49, if you flip the 6 over to make a 9, and position the 2 up and to the right of the 7 to indicate "7 to the 2nd power".

PlushyCthulhu

How is the 7 written? Could you make it a less than sign? So for example 6 (turned 7) = 2 4 becomes 6 <= 24

Gigazombie Cybermage

I dunno... i give up though. lol. I'm just going to ask him next week what the solution was.

Powerpuppies

it's the 7^2=49. It was a recent puzzler on npr's CarTalk, and that's the answer they gave.

Sir Landshark

42 = 6*7 for no flipping shenanigans

EDIT: Nevermind you probably can't use the * operator?

Gigazombie Cybermage

Thanks guys! I'll try that answer Powerpuppies.

Orogogus

Powerpuppies wrote: »

it's the 7^2=49. It was a recent puzzler on npr's CarTalk, and that's the answer they gave.

Man, it seems like radio or other audio-only media would make it really hard to solve, having to flip the cards around and whatnot while not forgetting the actual numbers.