# "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:** 7
**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 26, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/121 "2010-01-26T01:43:37Z")
(6 + 2) \* 50 + 10 + 4 = 414 next: Working numbers: 5, 5, 6, 8, 9, 75 Target number: 347 ---
**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 26, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/122 "2010-01-26T01:45:50Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Thanks; all by hand, I’m afraid (well, hand and a basic calculator; I assume that’s ok, given that one is on the problem generation webpage?). In this thread it’s OK to use a calculator, but on the game show on TV, of course, they don’t have one. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/123 "2010-01-26T01:49:58Z")
Ah, good. 9 \* (5 \* 6 + 8) + 5 = 347 Working numbers: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10 Target number: 525 ---
**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 26, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/124 "2010-01-26T02:56:10Z")
(6+9) \* (4\*10 - (3+2)) =525 Target 701 Numbers 4,6,8,10,25,75 ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/125 "2010-01-26T02:59:31Z")
75 \* 10 - 25 - 4 \* 6 = 701 Working numbers: 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 Target number: 774 ---
**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 26, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/126 "2010-01-26T03:02:46Z")
(8 \* (7+3) +6)\*9=774 Target 302 Numbers: 1,1,3,4,7,7 ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/127 "2010-01-26T03:05:27Z")
(3 \* 7 \* 7 + 4) \* (1 + 1) = 302 Working numbers: 1, 2, 2, 7, 9, 10 Target number: 758 ---
**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 26, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/128 "2010-01-26T14:58:41Z")
7 x (((9 + 2) x 10) - 2) + 1 = 757. Still working on 758. … and 9 x 7 x (10 + 2) + 2 = 758. Feeling uninspired and my office browser setup blocks the scripts on Arnold’s generator page; could someone else grab a challenge from there or make up their own? ---
**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 26, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/129 "2010-01-26T15:30:26Z")
Here you go tom: (grr @ meetings preventing me from posting my own answer, stupid work) Target: 453 Numbers 2,8,6,8,9,75 ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/130 "2010-01-26T18:40:01Z")
6 \* 75 + 2 + 8/8 = 453 Working numbers: 1, 1, 3, 4, 8, 25 Target number: 857 ---
**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 26, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/131 "2010-01-26T18:58:34Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > Where did I say that? If I did I made a mistake, a “better” solution uses fewer numbers. At least that’s what I remember, I will try to find the official rules online somewhere. Ah, sorry - I misread post #4 in this thread. I still prefer my idea, I think - for trivial solutions, it’s usually easier to come up with solutions that use fewer numbers rather than more numbers. > [@Indistinguishable](#): > > 6 \* 75 + 2 + 8/8 = 453 > > Working numbers: 1, 1, 3, 4, 8, 25 > > Target number: 857 ((((25 + 1) x 4) + 3) x 8) + 1 = 857. Numbers: 1, 4, 9, 10, 10, 75. Target: 369. This was randomly (OK, not really randomly) generated by my brain - I’d be surprised if it is solvable but I have not checked in detail. ---
**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 26, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/132 "2010-01-26T19:07:29Z")
(4 \* 9 \* 10) + 10 - 1 = 369 Working numbers: 2, 3, 4, 5, 50, 75 Target number: 588 ---
**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 26, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/133 "2010-01-26T19:07:35Z")
Damn. should have previewed. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/134 "2010-01-26T19:12:09Z")
(75 - 2) \* (5 + 3) + 4 = 588 Working numbers: 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 25 Target number: 966 ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/135 "2010-01-26T19:25:45Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > (75 - 2) \* (5 + 3) + 4 = 588 > > Working numbers: 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 25 > > Target number: 966 (5 x 25 x 8 ) - (10 x 3) = 964 Sorry, I posted before making my own target… I’ll come up with one in a minute. ---
**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 26, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/136 "2010-01-26T19:29:38Z")
(((25 - 3) \* 8) - (10 + 5)) \* 6 = 966 New numbers: 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 Target: 555 ---
**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 26, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/137 "2010-01-26T19:30:06Z")
(25 + 3) x (5 + 6 + 10) = 588 Wow you guys are fast. I’m going to leave my challenge down here anyway. 😛 (And on reread I see I was working with the wrong target number anyway. Bleah.) Working numbers: 7, 8, 9, 25, 50, 75 Target number: 493 (picked at random, no idea if solvable). ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/138 "2010-01-26T19:31:26Z")
Working numbers: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 Target: 1218 ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/139 "2010-01-26T19:32:34Z")
**Quartz** ’s: 7 \* 8 \* 10 - 5 = 555 **Tom Scud’s** : 8 \* 50 + 25 + 75 - 7 = 493 **Agent Foxtrot** ’s: 21 \* (5 \* 8 + 13 + 3 + 2) = 1218 (Have the rules suddenly changed? Do we make new challenges after non-solutions too?..) New challenge: Working numbers: 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 25 Target number: 562 ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727/140 "2010-01-26T19:39:39Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > (Have the rules suddenly changed? Do we make new challenges after non-solutions too?..) On reading post edits, I see that people were probably just forgetting what the original target number was that they were going for. That makes more sense (and I did that my first time too, I think). Also, just to clarify, I know there are points awarded for closest non-exact-solution if no one finds the exact solution. I was just confused that people seemed to be moving to that conclusion so fast. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/le-compte-est-bon-or-anyone-for-a-math-game/524727.md?page=8)