Make the equation 5+5+5=550 true by adding just a single straight line.
arithmetic/five.five.five New
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Problem
Make the equation 5+5+5=550 true by adding just a single straight line. The line cannot be through the = sign to make it say "not equal to". I was told to be imaginative so I assume that the answer is not strictly mathematical. -- John T. Flynn <flynnj@jeflin.tju.edu>
Show solution
Added line is made up of N's. There is an obvious second answer,
adding the line to the other +.
55555 N + 55555 + 55555 55555 55555 000
5 N + 5 + 5 ===== 5 5 0 0
5555 N+++++++ 5555 +++++ 5555 5555 5555 0 0
5 + 5 + 5 ===== 5 5 0 0
5555 + 5555 + 5555 5555 5555 000
Add a line to one of the plus signs to make it a 4.
-- Peter C. Gwinn <pgwinn@nwu.edu>
[ Editor: 545+5 = 550. ]