1 and 40

1 and 40 share something - let's call it X - which isn't shared by any other number in the entire numbering system. The X in the first is a mirror of the X in the second.
What is X?

Originally posted by Kewpie
1 and 40 share something - let's call it X - which isn't shared by any other number in the entire numbering system. The X in the first is a mirror of the X in the second.
What is X?

All I could think of was some cheesy type of bit reversal if both numbers were hex base. But that's sooo not the intended answer.

It's one of those questions the average 7-year-old could answer, they haven't learned to think inside the box yet. No formulas required, I dreamed it up during an insomniac episode - and the damn thing woke me up!

Originally posted by Kewpie
1 and 40 share something - let's call it X - which isn't shared by any other number in the entire numbering system. The X in the first is a mirror of the X in the second.
What is X?

Reveal Hidden Content I'm not sure the average seven-year-old would have found that answer.

Richard

Most 7-year-olds can figure out the old HIJKLMNO = WATER one, so I figured this one would be a piece of cake! 🙂

I must be missing something.

F > O > U < R?! > T > Y

Originally posted by SwissGambit
I must be missing something.

F > O > U < R?! > T > Y

I knew you rebel colonials liked to remove u's from words where they belong... but now I know what you do with them!

Richard

Originally posted by Shallow Blue
I knew you rebel colonials liked to remove u's from words where they belong... but now I know what you do with them!

Richard

If seven time ten equals seventy
and eight times ten equals eighty
then four times ten should equal fourty, dammit!
😠

What are you going to do with ten times two and three then - twoty and threety?

Originally posted by Kewpie
What are you going to do with ten times two and three then - twoty and threety?

twenty and thirty are probably irregular just like twelve and thirteen is, but fourteen isnt

in german the puzzle works with 1 and 8 being the only numbers having letters in alphabetical order (E-I-N-S and A-C-H-T).

Originally posted by SwissGambit
If seven time ten equals seventy
and eight times ten equals eighty
then four times ten should equal fourty, dammit!
😠

Erm... shouldn't eight times ten then be eightty, not eighty?

And what about fifty?

Richard

In the "times 10" tables
one - ten
two - twenty
three - thirty
four - forty
five - fifty
SIX - SIXTY
SEVEN - SEVENTY
eight - eighty
NINE - NINETY

there are twice as many "irregular" as "regular". Maybe it's the "regular" group which are irregular. 🙂

Originally posted by Kewpie
What are you going to do with ten times two and three then - twoty and threety?

Twoty and threety don't exactly roll off the tongue. I can understand why they were changed. That's also why I left them out of my examples. But consistency should be maintained if possible.

Originally posted by crazyblue
twenty and thirty are probably irregular just like twelve and thirteen is, but fourteen isnt

in german the puzzle works with 1 and 8 being the only numbers having letters in alphabetical order (E-I-N-S and A-C-H-T).

Exactly! Why isn't 14 forteen if 40 is forty?

Originally posted by Shallow Blue
Erm... shouldn't eight times ten then be eightty, not eighty?

And what about fifty?

Richard

We don't need the extra 't' in eighty. I say throw out any letters that don't affect pronunciation and don't distinguish from other similarly-pronounced words.

"Fifty" needs to be changed. "Fivety" doesn't roll off the tongue, but "Fifty" sounds close enough to "fifteen" that we're always having to clarify which number we actually said. "And when I say fifty I mean five-oh." 😞