Random Puzzles 

Workings

Hint
Adding 900,000 to the numbner is the same as placing a 9 at the beginning.

Answer
23,076.

Reasoning
Placing the 9 at the beginning is equivalent to adding 900,000 (for example, 12,345 + 900,000 becomes 912,345).

Placing the 9 at the end is equivalent to multiplying by 10 and adding 9 (for example, 12,345 x 10 + 9 becomes 123,459).

Let's call the unknown number k, and we know that one of these numbers is 4 times the other, so:

 k + 900,000 = 4 x (10k + 9)

 k + 900,000 = 40k + 36

900,000 − 36 = 40k − k

     899,964 = 39k

899,964 ÷ 39 = k

Therefore, k = 23,076.

Double-Checking
923,076 = 4 x 230,769.

Workings

Hint
There are two different methods, one involves a cube root, and the other doesn't require a calculator.

Answer
9 x 11 x 13.

Reasoning #1
We're after three numbers that multiply together, so a good place to start is the cube root of 1,287, which is roughly 10.88.

Let's try dividing by the closest odd number to 10.88:

   1287 ÷ 11 = 117

We're now after whole divisors of 117. Trying the odd numbers either side of 11 might work.

Trying either 9 or 13 gives the answer:

   9 x 11 x 13 = 1,287

Trying the closest odd number to the cube root always works, and the other two numbers are the odd numbers either side.

Reasoning #2
We after three numbers that multiply together, but none of these can end in 5 (otherwise our answer would end in 0 or 5).

So, they can only end in 7, 9, 1 (e.g. 87, 89, 91), or 9, 1, 3 (e.g. 89, 91, 93).

However, if they ended in 7, 9, 1, the answer would end in 3 (because 7 x 9 x 1 = 63).

Therefore, they end in 9, 1, and 3 (because 9 x 1 x 3 = 27).

The first numbers we can try are 9, 11, 13:

   = 9 x 11 x 13
   = 99 x 13
   = 100 x 13 − 13
   = 1300 − 13
   = 1,287

A calculator is not required!

Workings

Hint
Can Q1 be A?

Answers
Q1. B
Q2. B
Q3. A
Q4. B

Reasoning
Q1 can't have A as its answer (otherwise it would contradict itself).

If Q1's answer was C (meaning Q4's answer was A), then Q3's answer would be C. However, Q2's answer should now be A, but this isn't allowed by Q1 (as Q4 is the first answer with A). This is a contradiction.

Therefore, Q1's answer is B (meaning Q3's answer is A).

For Q2's answer to be C, Q4's answer would have to be A, which would contradict Q4. Therefore, Q2's answer is B making Q4's answer B.

Workings

Hint
The word MAY appears 39 times.

Answer
The word MAY appears 39 times.