[Mark Allinson]

The Gopher, they say, cannot be beaten.

Are you prepared to take on - the Gopher?

And if you do beat him, tell us how it's done.

[peter richards]

It goes like this: a 2 digit number n1,n2 (e.g. 5,7) can also be expressed as (n1x10) + n2 (e.g. 57 = (10x5)+7).

By subtracting the sum of n1 and n2, you are effectively taking away all of n2 and one tenth of (n1x10). This leaves nine tenths of (n1x10), or 9n1. If you look at the board full of numbers and symbols that the gopher holds up, you may notice that all multiples of 9 have the same symbol and that that is the one which his mind reading talents will ultimately produce.

Just get your adding and/or subtraction wrong though, and you'll fool him every time.

[Maryann Corbett]

As an alumna of the University of Minnesota, I'm not happy with this talk of BEATING GOPHERS

Maryann

[Daniel Haar]

Originally posted by Maryann Corbett:
As an alumna of the University of Minnesota, I'm not happy with this talk of BEATING GOPHERS

Maryann

Go Gophers! (I got my master's degree from Minnesota in 2002.)

[Michael Cantor]

There's an old numbers freak gimmick - if you're off when balancing a checkbook, adding up numbers, etc., and the difference is divisible by nine - odds are you transposed something, and that's the first place to look. Same logic, but I never thought it through the way Peter did. I simply assumed it was magic.

[This message has been edited by Michael Cantor (edited November 30, 2006).]

[Lo]

Originally posted by Michael Cantor:
\if you're off when balancing a checkbook, adding up numbers, etc., and the difference is divisible by nine - odds are you transposed something, and that's the first place to look.

People balance their checkbooks?

[Mark Allinson]

Thank you for that solution to the Gopher's psychic powers, Peter.

I am convinced by your authority.

My daughter has a friend who is interested in the maths of the thing, and that should settle the matter.

[David Mason]

Is beating the gopher anything like spanking the monkey?

[Mark Allinson]

Is beating the gopher anything like spanking the monkey?

Imagine the conversation:

Mother: Where are you going, Harry?

Teenage Son: To my bedroom, to work on my computer.

Mother: what are you working on?

T.S. I am trying to beat the gopher.

Mother: Oh dear, do you want to damage your eyesight!