| Here is a puzzle
that will
always jinx you. Follow these steps.
Pick a number ______
Add 11______
multiply by 6 ______
subtract 3 ______
divide by 3 ______
Add 5 ______
Divide by 2 ______
Subtract the original number ______
Try it with three different numbers.
Do you think it will always work? Why
do
you think that?
To see if it always works, make a
spreadsheet
model of this puzzle.
Here's how:
Open
Excel
Type in
the text as you see it above.
Enter
the formula =D3 + 11 in cell D4
Enter
the formula =D4 * 6 in cell D5.
Continue
until you have entered the formulas
for cells D6 through D10.
After
you finish entering the formulas, enter
a numeric value in D3, like 6.
Look at
cell D10. Does it show 13? (If not,
check your formula in D10.)
Did D10
show 13? Try a different number in D3.
What happens?
-
Did you get 13 in cell D10? Well,
that means
your number (6 in this case) jinxed you. You got 13 - the unlucky
number!
-
Make 3 additional columns.
-
Highlight D3 through G10. (It
forms a rectangle.)
-
Choose Fill Right from the
Calculate menu.
-
Next enter different numbers in
D3, E3, F3,
G3 so it looks something like this. Try your own numbers.
Can you find a number that will not
always
end up as 13?
If not, why not?
Go to
Birthday puzzle
|
