3 replies to this topic

[Rob_Gandy]

I remember seeing a couple posts similar to this one some time back and thought I'd try my hand at one.

Here is the situation:
While scanning space for signs of life a group of scientists receive a series of messages the last of which requires a response. The messages are translated as follows:

12 % 10 = 8

4 % 6 = 4

9 % 7 = 6

11 % 13 = 6

5 % 15 = 2

14 % 16 = ___

What number do we need to respond with?

Spoiler for Basically...

you have to figure out what operation(s) are done with the two numbers to get the last number.

[bonanova]

I started with ANDing the binary representations, but it worked only for the first two. Good puzzle.

[wolfgang]

I tried this:
(12-8)-(10-8)=2
(4-4)-(6-4) =-2
(9-6)-(7-6) =2
(11-6)-(13-6)=-2
but this role does not work with 5%15=2
otherwise, the missing number should be =0

[Rob_Gandy]

I tried this:
(12-8)-(10-8)=2
(4-4)-(6-4) =-2
(9-6)-(7-6) =2
(11-6)-(13-6)=-2
but this role does not work with 5%15=2
otherwise, the missing number should be =0

Spoiler for Not quite what I had in mind

but an interresting relationship between the numbers. Unfortunately 0 isn't correct, but you can get the correct answer using your method.