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BrainTwister #9: Rectangulator

Can you solve this week’s logic puzzle? Plus our quick quiz and the answer to last week’s problem

By New Scientist

28 February 2024

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#9 Rectangulator

Set by Katie Steckles

Given a standard calculator keyboard, press – in order, going either clockwise or anticlockwise – four digit keys that form the corners of a square or rectangle on the keypad. This will create a four-digit number, e.g. 7469.

If the first button you press is the 7 key, how many possible four-digit numbers can you create?

What about if your square or rectangle is allowed to have a height or width of zero?

Can you show that for any square or rectangle you choose, the resulting four-digit number will always be divisible by 11?

Solution next…

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