You have a calculator whose multiplication button is broken. The only operations that work are addition (x+y), subtraction (x-y), and reciprocation (1/x).

Can you use this calculator to multiply two numbers?

I'm not sure if anyone has said this yet. Sounds like the calculator can divide, right? You take the first number y, in a x*y problem, make it 1/y and then take x and divide it by 1/y. This causes the 1/y to be moved to the top and it becomes the original number. example: 2*3=6    2/(1/3)=6   1.2*4.5=5.4       1.2/(1/4.5)=5.4 and so on. It works with everything I have tried.

Posted by dan on 2005-01-22 06:08:03