Hint
The answer involves multiplication (for example, 9 x 8 = 72).
Answer
468.
Reasoning
If we split each line in the following way:
98 68 88
72 48 64
14 32 24
Each new line is generated by multiplying the digits two at a time and writing the result below.
For example, 9 x 8 = 72, so 72 appears directly below 98.
And 7 x 2 = 14, so 14 appears directly below 72.
Double-Checking
9 x 8 = 72 and 7 x 2 = 14.
6 x 8 = 48 and 4 x 8 = 32.
8 x 8 = 64 and 6 x 4 = 24.
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Puzzle 154
As I was going to St Ives,
I met a man with seven wives.
Each wife had seven sacks,
Each sack had seven cats,
Each cat had seven kits.
Kits, cats, sacks and wives,
How many were going to St. Ives?
This is a very old puzzle, and appeared in a manuscript dated around 1730. It is thought to refer to a town in Cornwall, UK.
If we were to count everyone and everything, including all of the kits, cats, sacks and wives, we would have:
Me = 1
Man = 1
Wifes = 7
Sacks = 7 x 7 = 49
Cats = 7 x 7 x 7 = 343
Kits = 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 = 2401
