This mathematical series of puzzle caches has questions from all levels of school education, from Key Stage 1 (age 5-7) in the first few caches, all the way up to Further Maths A-Level in the last few caches. Everybody should be able to get the solutions to the first few caches, but how far through the series will you be able to get? For a full description of the series, please see the first cache “1+1=1”. If you can’t solve a particular set of questions, try asking somebody of the appropriate age, or your friendly neighbourhood Maths teacher!
Please note that many of the caches are hidden near busy roads, so please take care when finding them, especially if you have children with you. It is worth noting that there is parking possible within a few hundred metres of all caches and a quick look on a satellite view map should show suitable places.
This cache contains questions that are suitable for Sixth Form age students.
1. An astronomer claims that there are one hundred thousand million galaxies in the universe, each containing one hundred thousand million stars. If you write the total number of stars this would mean as a power of ten, A = the power of ten.
2. If x+y+z=1, x+y-z=2 and x-y-z=3, B= 10*x*y*z (where * means multiply)
3. Let N be the smallest positive integer whose digits add up to 2013. C= the first digit of N+1.
4. The number 3 can be expressed as the sum of one or more positive integers in four different ways: 3, 1+2, 2+1, 1+1+1. D= the number of different ways in which the number 5 can be expressed.
5. The equation x^2+y*x+z=0, where y and z are different, has solutions x=y and x=z. E=5y+z.
The cache can be found at N50 45.PQR E0 15.STU where P=B-E, Q=A-D+1, R=D-C, S=C-D+10, T=C-B, U=A-D-B-1
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.