A Numbers Problem For You

[VirginiaBlue]

Grab a calculator, you won't be able to do this one in your head. Do the following steps in order:

Enter the first three digits of your phone number (not the area code)
Multiply by 80
Add 1
Multiply by 250
Add the last 4 digits of your phone number
Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again
Subtract 250
Divide by 2What did you get?

Come on, all you numbers people, splain this one!

[Malachi]

Grab a calculator, you won't be able to do this one in your head. Do the following steps in order:

Enter the first three digits of your phone number (not the area code)
Multiply by 80
Add 1
Multiply by 250
Add the last 4 digits of your phone number
Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again
Subtract 250
Divide by 2What did you get?

Come on, all you numbers people, splain this one!

80 times 250 divided by 2 equals 10,000

So essentially you are taking the first three digits of your phone number and multiplying by 10,000 which shifts the digits over 4 digits.

You add the last 4 digits twice because of the divide by two.

The 'add 1' and 'subtract 250' are just a distraction. 1 multiplied by 250 is 250, hence the subtract 250.

So, if you reduce the whole thing you have basically

10,000 * (first three digits) + last four digits