Without using any arithmetical symbols (+, -, *, /, or similar; other math symbols; decimal comma or periods; letters; even parentheses) or, in short, anything but the digits, build a number with the digits 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, that is equal to a number built with the digits 2, 4, 6 and 8 (each digit used once and only once).

Note: This is not a trick. It was extracted from a book edited by Angela Dunn, a mathematician who gathered problems that appeared in many scientific periodical revues!

This might still be a trick but worth ago anyway and slightly better than my first attempt.

l lll V Vll lX = 13 sticks = ll lV Vl Vlll

If not i'll keep trying!

Posted by Lisa on 2005-07-08 13:29:58