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Maths Week: Friday's puzzle of the day

We’re setting you a little brainteaser each day this week to highlight a drive to improve the country’s numeracy skills.

ENGAGE THOSE BRAINS, folks: we have a teasing question for you.

Each afternoon this week, we’ll be setting you a (not too) tough riddle to get the cogs whirring and test your mathematical mettle.

If this prospect fills you with either a. joy, or b. dread, the mathsweek.ie site is worth a look – with events for maths fans and for those who might feel the need to brush up on their numeracy skills. The events are running from now until Sunday.

Friday’s puzzle:

I found a piece of paper with the following list of numbers on it. The end of the note was torn off. What do you think the next number should be?

No multiple-choice suggestions today, folks – you’ll have to figure it out on your own :)

All answers will be revealed at 4.30pm on the site today.

Monday’s puzzle>

Tuesday’s puzzle>

Wednesday’s puzzle>

Thursday’s puzzle> 

These handy tips will help develop your child’s maths skills (without them knowing it)>

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Andy Pcooke
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:23 PM

    Consonant please

    43
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    Mute Powerful Sayings
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:09 PM

    Twelvty seven.

    37
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    Mute Steve Mac
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:30 PM

    11. That’s not a maths puzzle.

    33
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    Mute Sergeant Yates
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:18 PM

    72

    19
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    Mute Sergeant Yates
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:20 PM

    number 11 in pen

    19
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    Mute Frederick Constant
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:26 PM

    Spot on Sarge!

    6
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    Mute Ariana
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:02 PM

    11

    16
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    Mute Harry the Cat
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:44 PM

    You could have just said you did it and let people figure it out
    for themselves.

    15
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    Mute why?
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:00 PM

    that’s numberwang!

    16
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    Mute Leopold Dedalus
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:19 PM

    4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42

    14
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    Mute Eoin Fitzpatrick
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:20 PM

    Obvious its a fine pair of legs!

    13
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    Mute Chris
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:28 PM

    Check !

    8
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    Mute Mr. Unwieldy
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:06 PM

    Probably 11,60,13 and so,(probably because “the right answer” is nothing more than whatever answer the author had in mind when he designed the exercise. :)

    11
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    Mute Emily Elephant
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:09 PM

    Where’s Frank when you need him?

    10
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    Mute Frank Dwyer
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:12 PM

    I haven’t a clue

    14
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    Mute frank dorrian
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:18 PM

    Is this what our first water bill will be??!!!

    5
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    Mute Colin Devaney
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:45 PM

    Text
    66
    12+6=18
    18+6=24
    24+12=36
    36+12=48
    48+18=66
    66+18=84
    And so on ..

    Pen
    7
    7+2=9
    9+0=9
    9+2=11
    11+0=11
    And so on..

    Jc higher level maths :p

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    Mute Kardia Skepsi
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    Oct 17th 2014, 9:49 PM

    The text additions could be 6, 12, 18, 24 or 6, 12, 24, 48.

    Depending on how the numbers are increasing in size. Either through doubling or adding 6.

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    Mute Eoin Fitzpatrick
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:01 PM

    Here’s a proper puzzle,

    Paddy and Jack walk into a bar. The barman says, I’ve got 2 numbers A and B in my head, I’ll tell paddy the product (AxB) and Jack the sum (A+B). Free pint for whoever can tell me what both numbers are.

    Paddy says: It’s impossible for me to work that out.
    Jack says: I knew you’d say that
    Paddy says: Now I know both no.’s
    Jack says: Now I know both of them too.

    What were the two numbers?

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    Mute Stephen
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:53 PM

    2?

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    Mute Isaac Smyth
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    Oct 18th 2014, 8:51 AM

    0

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    Mute Angela Jones Gaughran
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:46 PM

    13.

    3
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    Mute Ciarán Tourish
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:24 PM

    11

    3
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    Mute Stephen Branigan
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:31 PM

    11 in pen, 72 in print

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    Mute Chris
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:27 PM

    11

    3
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    Mute bandido
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:39 PM

    11, then 58

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    Mute Ronan O'Neill
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:35 PM

    why 58?

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    Mute Kardia Skepsi
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:51 PM

    The piece of paper was originally found with that exact list on it, the tare didn’t remove any numbers. The list is complete.

    Though if I had to really come up with an extra number it would be 11.

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    Mute Heather
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:14 PM

    11

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    Mute Proinsias Ó Foghlú
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:02 PM

    72 in type haven’t a clue in pen! I can figure out how they are getting the numbers wrote with pen!

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    Mute Joe Harbison
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:02 PM

    13

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    Mute Gagsy 99
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:30 PM

    | | | | | | + – - – - – = 11

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    Mute Thomas Murtagh
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    Oct 17th 2014, 8:51 PM

    11 in pen then 61

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    Mute Michele Savage
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    Oct 17th 2014, 4:26 PM

    In biro: 11……?

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    Mute justanothertaxpayer
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    Oct 17th 2014, 8:20 PM

    11 in pen is a given.. but both 66 and 72 would satisfy the typed series because it may not be just +6 every second time… it may be double the gap every second time. Kindof annoying actually.

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    Mute Spud
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    Oct 17th 2014, 5:07 PM

    11. Reasonably easy. :P

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    Mute Peter Anslow
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:36 PM

    9

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    Mute Áine Moore
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:33 PM

    29

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    Mute Mick Jacobs
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:22 PM

    10 ..

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    Mute Mick Jacobs
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:30 PM

    feck …. meant 11 … :-)

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    Mute John Moore
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    Oct 17th 2014, 3:23 PM

    13

    1
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