Legs Eleven

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:2 Challenge Level:2

Take a four-digit number: $3527$
Move the first digit to the 'back of the queue' and move the rest along, giving $5273$

Now add your two numbers.

I'm told that this process is supposed to generate numbers with a particular property.
What properties does your total have that might be the one we're after?

Now try $6154$. Then try $4139$, and a few other four-digit numbers.
What do all your answers have in common?

Does this always work for four-digit numbers? Why?

Check that it works for other numbers, two-digit, three-digit, five-digit, 38-digit...

Can you explain your findings?

Click here for a poster of this problem.


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Published April 1998,October 2008.