# Check my math on this picture math problem **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 3, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069 "2020-05-03T14:49:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/1 "2020-05-03T14:49:38Z")
(Although this has a factual math answer, it involves interpretation) (I do not know what one of the pcs is supposed to be – a bouquet of flowers? an ice cream cone? I’ll just call it a cone) I occasionally see puzzles like this on facebook. here is the latest a facebook friend posted: 2 shoes + 2 shoes + 2 shoes = 30 (by two shoes I mean a pair of shoes) guy + guy + 2 shoes = 10 2 cones + 2 cones + guy = 13 (again, two cones next to each other, overlapping a bit) shoe + guy x cone = ? here is my work: shoe = x, guy = y, cone = z xx + xx + xx = 30; xx =10 x = sqrt(10) y + y + 10 = 20; 2y = 10; y = 5 zz + zz + 5 = 13; 2zz = 8; zz=4; z=2 sqrt(10) + (2\*5) = ? ? = sqrt(10) + 10 Now, I’m guessing the desired interpretation is that shoe = 5, but the common math notation is that two variables with no symbols between them signify multiplication, not addition. (hence the IMHO part of this) (answer is 15 if you insist that shoe =5) Anyone want to back me up / refute me? Brian ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/2 "2020-05-03T15:29:33Z")
I never saw any pictures of shoes and such in any algebra book, but I can factually state that addition is represented by a + sign; juxtaposition is multiplication. Except, not always: consider Roman numerals. VI == 6, not 5. But why would they mix those two interpretations up in the same puzzle? You should be able to tell if there is a convention based on similar puzzles, or if your problem really has “guy x cone” versus “guy cone”, or just whatever fits the given answer. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/3 "2020-05-03T15:32:04Z")
OK, it was pointed out to me that in the final equation, the guy is wearing shoes and holding two cones. If we assume symbols next to each other is addition\* Then I believe the answer is 5 + ((10 + 2 + 10) \* 2) = 49 \*This still bothers me, why have two notations for addition? it is at the very least sloppy. The top line could be 6 shoes Brian ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/4 "2020-05-03T15:44:46Z")
Never mind, I messed that up. I think it is: 5 + ((guy + two cones + two shoes) \* 2) 5 + ((5 + 4 + 10) \* 2) 5 + (19 _2) 5 + (38) 41 I think unusual notation is the point of these. If a guy is 5 and a pair of shoes is 10, does a guy wearing a pair of shoes = 5+10, 5_10, 5^10 or what? Brian ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/5 "2020-05-03T15:58:11Z")
Arrg, 43 (6 credits from a math minor, and still mess up simple addition) Brian ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/6 "2020-05-03T16:03:42Z")
Maybe that is part of the puzzle, and you have to figure it out anew every time? Doubt the answer should be an irrational number. Cf. puzzles like SEND + MORE = MONEY, HE x HE = SHE where it’s clear ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/7 "2020-05-04T00:07:16Z")
Considering how many variations of this thing exists, I think we would need to see the puzzle in question to come up with a definitive solution. However, if the man is not wearing shoes or holding any cones in the second and third equations but is in the fourth, I think the intended solution is that you add the values of the shoes and cones a guy has to the guy’s value. In your case, if the only guy with shoes or cones is the one in the last equation, with two shoes and two cones, it is shoe + ((guy + 2 x shoe + 2 x cone) x cone). ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/8 "2020-05-04T00:31:40Z")
This was on FB? I’m glad I know it because occasionally I weaken and think maybe I should join. This is 100% effective CelticKnot repellent. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/9 "2020-05-04T03:04:03Z")
My niece has a bad habit of sharing puzzles like this on Facebook, so I’ve learned the patterns and conventions. In these sorts of puzzles, two items pictured together are always worth twice as much as a picture of one item (addition, not multiplication). Two or more different items featured in one picture are worth the sum of the individual items. That’s just the convention of these puzzles. Are you sure your equations are right? In the version of this puzzle I can find online, the second line is boy + boy + pair-of-shoes = 20, not 10 as reported in the OP. In the bottom line of the version I found, the boy is holding two cones of popcorn _and_ wearing a pair of shoes, unlike in the previous pictures of the boy. So the value of that picture is boy+popcorn+popcorn+shoe+shoe. By the convention of these puzzles, it doesn’t matter that the shoes and popcorn are smaller in size than in previous pictures. I get 43 for the version of the puzzle I saw, which agrees with [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY4imURr8WU). ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/10 "2020-05-05T10:12:33Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > … Cf. puzzles like SEND + MORE = MONEY, HE x HE = SHE This inspired me to [start a thread where Dopers compete for the best such word arithmetic puzzle.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=895498) But so far there has been little participation. :o Please drop by to solve, or better yet submit new puzzles. Low-lying fruit: _There are still some good puzzles of the form IDIOT + xxx = TRUMP available._ > [@Alia S.](#): > > Does bleach + urine = kaboom? 😕 You’re using more than ten letters to represent the digits. Non-decimal bases are OK, but I think you should tell solvers if that’s what you’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/11 "2020-05-05T12:16:03Z")
There are usually two gotchas in these puzzles on Facebook. 1. Sometimes you’ll go from a pair of shoes to a single shoe, make sure you divide by two 2. The order of operations in the final step changes the result. Learn your order of operations. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/12 "2020-05-05T14:45:35Z")
1. In the final line The guy will be wearing one or two shoes, and holding an ice cream cone so make sure you’re doing (guy+shoe+shoe+cone) as one figure. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2020, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-my-math-on-this-picture-math-problem/853069/13 "2020-05-05T17:17:38Z")
43 was the intended answer. Aging I will whine about a guy wearing shoes doesn’t automatically mean (guy + shoes), since the plus sign is use as well, but I guess that is the way these things work Brian