# "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:** 4
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/61 "2010-01-20T16:13:47Z")
10+5=15 15 x 25 = 375 10 / 5 =2 375 -2 = 373 New numbers: 1, 3, 8, 8, 9, 75 Target (unchecked) is 463 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/62 "2010-01-20T16:24:30Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > New numbers: 1, 3, 8, 8, 9, 75 > > Target (unchecked) is 463 Can’t get exact. Closest I can find is (75 + 1) x (9 - 3) + 8 = 464. Aha! (75 - 8) x (8 - 1) - 9 + 3 = 463. Variant on my last question: 5, 5, 10, 10, 25, 50 Target: 371 (not at all sure it’s solvable) ---
**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 21, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/63 "2010-01-21T01:35:38Z")
5, 5, 10, 10, 25, 50 Target: 371 (25 + 50 ) \*5 - (5 -10/10) = 371 Next: 4,4,6,10,50,100 Target 917 ---
**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 21, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/64 "2010-01-21T01:54:41Z")
((100 - 6) \* 10) + (6 \* 4) - 50 = 914 I am terrible at this! Don’t tell me there is an exact solution. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/65 "2010-01-21T08:09:56Z")
(100 - 4) \* 10 = 960 960 -50 + 6 = 916 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/66 "2010-01-21T14:49:26Z")
And just to round it out, (100 + 50) x 6 + 4 + 4 + 10 = 918. The hard part is getting the odd number. Odds I can find: 4/4 = 1, (50 + 4)/6 = 9 100/4 = 25 (and variations). I have a feeling that an exact solution, if there is one, will involve a division by 10 somewhere. ---
**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 21, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/67 "2010-01-21T15:54:46Z")
"Next: 4,4,6,10,50,100 Target 917 " is unsolvable. since Quartz got it first, they should choose the next set. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/68 "2010-01-21T16:26:52Z")
Okay: 1, 2, 7, 7, 8, 75 Target is 439. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/69 "2010-01-21T17:05:15Z")
(7 - 2) x 75 + (7 + 1) x 8 = 439 3, 3, 6, 6, 9, 9 Target 440 ---
**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 21, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/70 "2010-01-21T18:14:16Z")
((9 x 6) - 6) x 9) + (3 x 3) = 441 is the closest I can get. If this proves the closest possible, try: Target 297 Numbers 1, 3, 3, 7, 8, 10. ---
**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 21, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/71 "2010-01-21T19:52:53Z")
(7+8) \* 10 \* (3 - 1) - 3 = 297 Aside: I realize that I need a lot more practice in this to keep up with you guys, so I made up a quick little problem generator. Doesn’t include a problem solver. You can see it here: [http://www.nouilles.info/le\_compte\_est\_bon.html](http://www.nouilles.info/le_compte_est_bon.html) Next problem: Working numbers: 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 Target number: 410 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/72 "2010-01-21T23:04:36Z")
((8x4)+9)\*10 = 410 How about 1, 6, 7, 8, 25, 100 and a target of 319? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/73 "2010-01-22T00:17:37Z")
(8 + 1) x 25 + 100 - 6 = 319 Using Arnold’s generator: 3, 7, 10, 10, 50, 100 Target: 796. ---
**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 22, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/74 "2010-01-22T00:24:14Z")
I’ll start with the obvious: (10/10 + 7) \* 100 - 3 = 797 I am too easily satisfied with coming close! ---
**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 22, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/75 "2010-01-22T15:10:08Z")
(100+10+3) \* 7 +(50/10) = 796 numbers: 3,5,7,9,25,75 target: 634 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/76 "2010-01-22T16:28:09Z")
Hey Skeezix, could you check if my earlier challenge 3, 3, 6, 6, 9, 9 Target 440 was in fact unsolvable? I suspect it was. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/77 "2010-01-22T17:21:26Z")
You’re supposed to include one large number. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/78 "2010-01-22T17:29:46Z")
((5 + 3) \* 75) + (9 + 25) = 634 Numbers are 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 50 Target is 866 ---
**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 22, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/79 "2010-01-22T19:34:51Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Numbers are 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 50 > Target is 866 (5_4)_(50-7) + 8 - 1 = 867 I’m convinced there’s a way to get the exact target number, but can’t find it. ---
**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 22, 2010, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/80 "2010-01-22T19:48:59Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > You’re supposed to include one large number. Is that in the rules of the original French TV game or the English version? I don’t remember that rule. Your challenge: (50 -7) \* 4 \* 5 + 8 - 1 = 867 is the best I could come up with [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727.md?page=5)