Deceptively challenging maths question.

fuzzyhead

Hello, currently I am studying at A-level at my local college.

I was recently going through some of my old childhood school things and found a maths challenge booklet that was given to my class when I was 12 for homework. The questions for a 12 year old were nice and challenging but not impossible apart from the last one, which is why I remember it. At the time I don't think anyone got it right. I had another look at it and still could not work it out. I ended up taking it to college and seeing what some of other maths students thought and a whole group of us wasted a lot of time attempting to work it out.

It is either deceptively simple or deceptively complex. Either way we really want to find out how it is done and what we are missing.



Thank you

fuzzyhead

Sorry I just realised that I put this in the wrong section and it should probably be in the General Math section. Could a mod move it please.

autodidude

Wow...I don't see a pattern either...very interested in how you would solve something like this