# "Le compte est bon", or, anyone for a math game? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 12, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727 "2010-01-12T23:59:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/1 "2010-01-12T23:59:23Z")
[post=11986491]My post here[/post] inspired me to propose this math game. I used to watch a French game show called “Numbers and Letters”. One of the challenges in the game was called “The count is right” - you are given certain numbers and through four arithmetic operations (subtraction, addition, division, multiplication) you try to come as close as possible to a target number. Rules [list=A][li]Take 6 (working) numbers at random from the following set: 1 through 10, 25, 50, 75, 100 (each number from 1 to 10 can appear up to two times in your set of 6 - pretend you are drawing from a set of tiles like this: 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100)[/li][li]Pick a (target) number at random between 100 and 999[/li][li]Using +, −, ×, ÷ and the working numbers drawn in step A, try to get as close as possible to the target number drawn in step B[/li][/list] In this medium, I propose that it would work this way: [ol] [li]Someone proposes a challenge[/li][li]The winner is the first poster to get exactly the target number from the working numbers[/li]OR the person with the closest result in the first 5 posts following the challenge (in case there is no exact solution) [li]Winner proposes a new challenge[/li][li]The person proposing the challenge doesn’t get to try to solve their own challenge[/li][/ol] **Example** working numbers 3, 75, 2, 4, 1, 1 target number 888 75 - 1 = 74 3 × 4 = 12 74 × 12 = 888 **First challenge** working numbers 9, 75, 8, 3, 8, 2 target number 798 P.S. If someone knows of an existing application (e.g. a web form) that solves these types of problem, please let me know, then the game would become kind of pointless unless the participants promise not to use the automated solver. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/2 "2010-01-13T01:06:42Z")
75x9+8x8=739 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/3 "2010-01-13T01:10:18Z")
9_8_8+75\*3-2 799 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/4 "2010-01-13T01:26:57Z")
I just realized that one of the things that made this workable on the TV show is the time limit. In this case, I really doubt anyone can come closer than pulykamell. Well done! ( I was trying to use an 8 \* 100 idea as a starting point but the closest I came was (75 / 3) \* (8 / 2) \* 8 = 800 ) So I will declare pulykamell the winner and modify the rules to say “best guess in the next 5 posts or in the next 4 hours” - unless someone has a better timeframe to suggest. pulykamell, do you have a challenge? ETA: in the game a solution is “better” if it uses less of the working numbers. So if the target number is 567, and someone reaches 565 using 5 working numbers, and another person reaches 569 using 4 working numbers, the second person is the winner: both are off by 2 but the second person did it using less working numbers. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/5 "2010-01-13T01:48:31Z")
Sure, here we go: **Second challenge** working numbers: 1,3,4,7,7,25 target number: 233 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/6 "2010-01-13T01:58:13Z")
(7 + 3 - 1) \* 25 + 7 = 232 ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/7 "2010-01-13T04:50:06Z")
I couldn’t solve this one myself, so I checked it out and it is solvable. If no body guesses it I’ll give the answer after the closest is decided upon. Also the answer to the first one is: 798= (2+8)_8_9+3+75 ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/8 "2010-01-13T06:27:45Z")
working numbers: 1,3,4,7,7,25 target number: 233 ((7 +4)\* 3 )+(1+7)\*25 = 233 I think. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/9 "2010-01-13T06:45:32Z")
New challenge. working numbers: 3,3,5,7,8,25 target number: 342 ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/10 "2010-01-13T06:53:07Z")
working numbers: 3,3,5,7,8,25 target number: 342 (25 + 5 + 8) \*3 \*3 = 342 New Challenge: Working: 2,4,25,6,7,10 target: 658 ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/11 "2010-01-13T07:28:52Z")
4\*(25+2)\*6 + 10 = 658 Working numbers : 5, 3, 75, 1, 1, 9 Target number : 246 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/12 "2010-01-13T09:33:50Z")
3\*(75+9-1-1) = 246 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/13 "2010-01-13T09:40:38Z")
New Challenge: Working numbers: 1, 3, 10, 25, 75, 100 Target number: 737 ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/14 "2010-01-13T12:56:49Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > New Challenge: > > Working numbers: 1, 3, 10, 25, 75, 100 > Target number: 737 Too easy! 75 - 1 = 74. 74 x 10 = 740. 740 - 3 = 737. New challenge: Working numbers: 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3. Target number: 999. Good luck! OK, I kid. How about: Working numbers: 1, 7, 5, 4, 2, 50. Target number: 477. By the way, I know this game from the British TV programme [Countdown](http://www.channel4.com/programmes/countdown), which is almost certainly the UK’s longest-running gameshow, with 27 unbroken years and counting. Apparently, the UK version was based on the French program [Des chiffres et des lettres](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Des_chiffres_et_des_lettres) that the OP refers to. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/15 "2010-01-13T14:17:52Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > P.S. If someone knows of an existing application (e.g. a web form) that solves these types of problem, please let me know, then the game would become kind of pointless unless the participants promise not to use the automated solver. This is similar to the card game [Krypto](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krypto_(game)). There is a solver application [here](http://mphgames.com/krypto/index.htm), but it calls for 5 “working numbers,” not 6. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/16 "2010-01-13T14:34:50Z")
> [@dead cat](#): > > … How about: > > Working numbers: 1, 7, 5, 4, 2, 50. > Target number: 477. ((50\*2)+1)_5-(7_4) = 477 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/17 "2010-01-13T14:41:07Z")
How about: Working numbers: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 75 Target: 491 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/18 "2010-01-13T14:42:29Z")
Boy, you people are good! There must be some cases where it can’t be solved exactly. At least on the TV show this happened (of course the people on the TV show had a time limit). > [@Red\_Skeezix](#): > > I couldn’t solve this one myself, so I checked it out and it is solvable. How did you “check it out”? ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/19 "2010-01-13T14:46:06Z")
(75 \* 6) + (8 \* 5) + 4 - 3 = 491 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/20 "2010-01-13T14:49:53Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > (75 \* 6) + (8 \* 5) + 4 - 3 = 491 Very good, even though it’s not the solution I had in mind: 3_4_5_6 + 7_8 + 75 = 491 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727.md?page=2)