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How to solve, by Tim Salazar
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Mark off the chart method:                         good when you have lots of multiplies (x)


puzzle.gif (12918 bytes)

Here is the puzzle I will be going through, step by set to a solution.   The letters a-i are the missing numbers.

Instructions

Fill in the missing numbers.

Use the numbers 1 through 9 to complete the equations.

Each number is used only once.
Each row is a math equation. Work from left to right.
Each column is a math equation. Work from top to bottom.

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a                  
b                  
c                  
d                  
e                  
f                  
g                  
h                  
i                  

Chart above will help you solve the puzzle

Look for a row or column that has the least number of possible solutions.
      a. All multiply or all divide are limiting.

C1 - a*d*g = 27 is a good place to start since it is all multiply and has a low product.

first factor 27. - ( 1*3*3*3 = 27 )  a,d, & g must be these factors.
since numbers 1-9 can only be used once, C1 must contain 1, 3, 9. in some order.
>    1*3*(3*3)=27  >   1*3*9=27
Using the chart to the right, mark off all numbers that a,d,g CAN NOT be, leaving open the numbers it can be (1, 3, 9). see chart>
Since we now know that 1, 3, or 9 will ALL be in C1, they can not be in any of the other rows or columns, so you can eliminate 1,3,6 from the others. see chart>

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a   x   x x x x x

 

b x   x          

x

c x   x           x
d   x   x x x x x  
e x   x           x
f x   x           x
g   x   x x x x x  
h x   x           x
i x   x           x

Since C3 is all multiply and has the next lowest product, lets try that one.

C3 - c*f*i = 112

Factor > 112 = 2*2*2*2*7. remember 1 is always a factor, but one has already been used in C1.
So: c,f,i can be 2,4,8, or 7 - Here 7 must be used, all factors must be used in some form.
C3 - must contain 2,8, & 7 because the only other way to get 112 by multiplying 3 numbers is: 4*4*7=112 and you can't use 4 twice

2*(2*2*2)*7=112 >  2*8*7=112
Now that we know all 3 number for C3 we can mark the chart as we did previously.

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a   x   x x x x x

 

b x x x       x x

x

c x   x x x x     x
d   x   x x x x x  
e x x x       x x x
f x   x x x x     x
g   x   x x x x x  
h x x x       x x x
i x   x x x x     x

The next logical step seems to be C2, but we don't need to do it because from our chart we already know what they must be.
C2 - b*e*h = 120. from our chart b,e, & h are all left with 5,4, & 9. 4*5*6=120

Let look a R1.
R1 - (a-b)/c = -1, Remember these puzzles are worked from left to right and top to bottom, so a-b must be done 1st, hence the ( ). Not to be confused with a-(b/c) = -1.

There's some information in R1.
1. With multiply and divide, in order to get a negative answer (-1) one of the terms        must be negative. Since "c", can't = a negative number, then (a-b)<0.
     So: a<b  a can not be 9,  because there wont be any way "b" can be > than a.
2. Solve the equation for c and you get c = b-a.

a - is now down to being ether 1 or 3, so we can just substitute 1 & 3 for "a" with all possible "b" values (4,5,6) to see which ones work.
a=1: b=4 > 1-4 = c = 3 from the chart we see "c" can't be a 3, so that don't work
a=1: b=5 > c=4 that don't work, & a=1: b=6 > c=5 again that don't work.
"a" can not be 1 so "a" must be 3 the only number left and no other number can be a 3.
We now can solve for b & c by trying all possible answers for c = b-3.
b=4 > then c=1, don't work.  b=5 > c=2, that works.  b=6 > c=3, don't work.
b=5 & c=2, mark off on chart as before.

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a x x 3 x x x x x

x

b x x x x 5 x x x

x

c x 2 x x x x x x x
d   x x x x x x x  
e x x x   x   x x x
f x x x x x x     x
g   x x x x x x x  
h x x x   x   x x x
i x x x x x x     x

Try R3
R3 - g + h / i = 1, here i = g + h.

Try all possible answers for g & h to see if they work.
g = 1, h = 4 > i=5, don't work.  g=1, h=6 > i=7, it works.
g=9, h=4 > i=13, don't work.  g=9, h=6 > i=15 don't work.
g =1, h =6 & i=7  mark off on chart.

Your done. All other letters are left with only one possible solution.

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
a x x 3 x x x x x

x

b x x x x 5 x x x

x

c x 2 x x x x x x x
d x x x x x x x x 9
e x x x 4 x x x x x
f x x x x x x x 8 x
g 1 x x x x x x x x
h x x x x x 6 x x x
i x x x x x x 7 x x
Solution
psolve.gif (7397 bytes)


Lets try another one where the mark off method don't work well for.

The Formula method - good when you have lots of +'s & -'s

Write down all fromulas you can make from the puzzle.

set the formulas to = 0

F1:  (a * d) - g = 13
F2:  b - e - h = -11
F3:  c - f + i = 0
F4:  (a * b) - c = 23
F5:  d - e + f = 4
F6:  g - (h * i) = -24

one more formula you can make:
F7:  a+b+c+d+e+f+g+h+i = 45

(a * d) - g -13 = 0
b - e - h + 11 = 0
c - f + i = 0
(a * b) - c - 23 = 0
d - e + f  - 4 = 0
g - (h * i) + 24 = 0


a+b+c+d+e+f+g+h+i - 45 = 0

Since we set all formulas to =0, any 2 can be set to = each other.
What we are trying to do is to make a formula that only has 1 or 2 variables in it.

Start by looking for any 2 formulas, that when set = to each other, one variable cancels out.

Try (F2 = F5):
b - e - h + 11 = d - e + f  - 4
Set = to 0:
b - d - e + e - f - h + 15 = 0
F8:  b - d - f - h + 15 = 0

When eliminating variables don't use the same formula twice, because it will undo your previously eliminated variable.
Useing F8 = F3 we can eliminate the "f":

b - d - f - h + 15 = c - f + i
F9:  b - c - d - h - i + 15 = 0