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 2025

Advent calendar 2024

Advent calendar 2023

Advent calendar 2022


List of all puzzles

Tags

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

Archive

Show me a random puzzle
▼ show ▼
© Matthew Scroggs 2012–2026