This is proving a difficult quiz question!

[detective]

Use four different commonly used mathematical symbols, but no figures, so that the equation below is accurate: 4 8 4 = 49

[ulysses100]

Answered yesterday by kayakamina.

See below...................

[Christiana]

I was interested so checked it out. The best answer, in my opinion was 4! - 8 - 4 = 4 x √9 (equals 12; 4! = factorial 4 = 4x3x2x1 = 24)

Four symbols: ! - x √ No wonder I couldn't work it out. I think it was Phil who posted this. Apologies for not having the full name. All the others only used four symbols if you counted the =

[logogriph]

Here's the link (took some finding)

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puz zles/Question363589.html

[kettledrum]

My computer doesn't have a square root symbol. How can I make one?

[johnalex]

Hi Kettledrum - Try this:

Hold down Alt Key (keep depressed)
Using Number Pad (at right of Keyboard) enter 251
Release Alt Key

√ √ √ √ √

[kettledrum]

√ √ - Thank you Johnalex - the things one learns on this site!

[johnalex]

Glad it worked for you Kettledrum! Laptop users can get the same result by using their NumLock Key. There are also various other techniques for calling up symbols which can be then be assigned to the Function keys at the top of your keyboard. Useful if you constantly need particular characters, such as � � Σ etc.

Try these:

Alt 1 ☺
Alt 2 ☻
Alt 3 ♥
Alt 4 ♦
Alt 5 ♣
Alt 6 ♠
all the way up to
Alt 254 ■

Have Fun! ☺ja

♫♪ ♫

[rogerr]

Hi johnalex, If I do that I get this � instead--any idea why?
Barbara

[johnalex]

Hi Barbara - Sorry, can't answer that one - it looks like a miniature 1 on my screen, not the same as '. I think this is all to do with the 'Character Set' installed on your PC, which I think can be changed (but don't). Are you having any success with the others, eg Alt 206 ╬, Alt 219 █ ? Which keys did you press to arrive at the 'mini 1' ? Gotta go out now, not back till 10pm but here again tomorrow. Hopefully the other members will come to the rescue! Cheer�, ja

[rogerr]

╬█ They are fine, as are all the others you gave me♫☺♦♥etc. It's only 251 that eludes me!
Never mind--I think I can live without a square root!!
☺☺ B

[johnalex]

Hello again Barbara - Been thinking about your conundrum over a skewer of chicken breast and prawns with spicy sauce, washed down with Jacob's Creek, at The Hungry Horse. It's all so clear now - we both have different Character Sets installed on our PC's (which I suspected). Mine is English 437 whereas yours appears to be Multilingual Latin 1. Quite simply they are each sets of 256 characters (numbered 0 - 255!) giving us ABC123 and so on, including about 100 weird and wonderful characters such as ≈░≡δ etc. Your Alt 253 is � same as mine but my Alt 252 is ⁿ whereas yours is a mini 3 or cube power. Another example is my Alt 184 ╕but if you try it you will get the copyright symbol, which I can't get! So it's no good looking for the square root as it doesn't exist in your 850 Character Set. After a couple more glasses of Jacob's Creek Alt 159 � looks pretty much the same as a square root, so let's not worry any more! Cheers, ☻ja

[rogerr]

Cheers ja--such dedication to solving my problem! We are indeed so lucky to have an expert in our midst.
My problem was more about WHY I couldn't access the square root more than needing it--It's a failing of mine--I have to know or understand.
Thank you
Barbara ☺

[esmerelda3]

(8_4/4)squared do not know my computer well enough to find the symbol Esmerelda3

[johnalex]

Morning Esmerelda - That's pretty good thinking, although I think you need to maintain the sequence (4 8 4). ☺ja

Try this:
Hold down Alt Key (keep depressed)
Using Number Pad (at right of Keyboard) enter 253
Release Alt Key

(8 - 4/4)�