Skip to main content
Puzzling

You are not logged in. Your edit will be placed in a queue until it is peer reviewed.

We welcome edits that make the post easier to understand and more valuable for readers. Because community members review edits, please try to make the post substantially better than how you found it, for example, by fixing grammar or adding additional resources and hyperlinks.

Required fields*

13
  • 29
    $\begingroup$ 2016 is too easily factorable for this to be a challenge. $\endgroup$ Commented Mar 6, 2016 at 19:48
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Some more restrictive rules could be imposed. $\endgroup$ Commented Mar 6, 2016 at 20:18
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ What do you mean by "decimal points are allowed"? Do you mean numbers like $.7$? Also, you should specify whether or not $0$ is allowed. $\endgroup$ Commented Mar 6, 2016 at 20:37
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ All the Perry-style solutions proposed so far use only the operations $+$, $-$, and $\times$. There are $\frac{3^8 \cdot 16!}{8! \cdot 9!} = 9,382,230$ such expressions using the digits $1$ to $9$ in sequence. I suppose one could just simple-mindedly calculate the values of all of them, and see which ones work out to be $2016$. It's easily computationally feasible, but it might be fun to try to think of a less stupid method! Or else, it might be idiotic to become obsessed with such a silly idea. I'm trying to make myself not think about it now. Damn. :) $\endgroup$ Commented Mar 6, 2016 at 23:29
  • 13
    $\begingroup$ I just want to point it out that if you check this wonderful answer you will realize that there are 366 possible combinations of 2016 using solely the "-", "+" and "*" operations. It happens that 2016 is a leap year, which means you can have 1 solution for every day. I find this more satisfying than I should. $\endgroup$ Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 21:42