mscroggs.co.uk
mscroggs.co.uk

subscribe

Puzzles

Blackboard sums

The numbers 1 to 20 are written on a blackboard. Each turn, you may erase two numbers, \(a\) and \(b\) and write the sum \(a+b\) in their place. You continue until only one number remains.
What is the largest number you can make?

Show answer & extension

Tags: numbers
If you enjoyed this puzzle, check out Sunday Afternoon Maths LV,
puzzles about numbers, or a random puzzle.

Archive

Show me a random puzzle
 Most recent collections 

Advent calendar 2023

Advent calendar 2022

Advent calendar 2021

Advent calendar 2020


List of all puzzles

Tags

partitions crossnumbers probability christmas complex numbers digits number menace hexagons tiling arrows numbers fractions functions square roots integers proportion wordplay floors geometry cube numbers routes logic colouring perimeter addition decahedra chalkdust crossnumber irreducible numbers tournaments gerrymandering pentagons regular shapes sums median angles spheres advent speed 2d shapes polynomials factors grids products doubling indices triangles shapes differentiation sequences volume division symmetry planes expansions multiplication odd numbers scales algebra elections pascal's triangle cryptic crossnumbers binary triangle numbers people maths crosswords calculus digital products range cubics crossnumber sport multiples even numbers geometric mean square numbers rectangles unit fractions geometric means graphs percentages books polygons folding tube maps sets money balancing consecutive numbers digital clocks perfect numbers determinants coins ave area bases quadratics squares palindromes consecutive integers integration dodecagons axes lines matrices games tangents probabilty parabolas time circles dates the only crossnumber prime numbers albgebra quadrilaterals taxicab geometry dice shape 3d shapes trigonometry averages surds star numbers clocks rugby remainders factorials sum to infinity ellipses chess chocolate dominos coordinates cryptic clues combinatorics cards mean means

Archive

Show me a random puzzle
▼ show ▼
© Matthew Scroggs 2012–2024