Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In this quiz, "the ordinal number" of a certain letter is simply its place in the English alphabet.
For example, the ordinal number of C is 3. The ordinal number of M is 13. The ordinal number of Z is 26.
The natural values for ordinal numbers are 1 to 26. However, numbers larger than 26 as well as negative numbers are also legal ordinal number values. The only thing that matters is the remainder of dividing the number in question by 26. In mathematical lingo this is expressed by noting that ordinal numbers are "modulo 26".
For example, the ordinal numbers 55 and -23 also correspond to the letter C since both have a remainder of 3 when divided into 26: 55=(2*26)+3 (or 55mod26=3 in arithmetic notation) and -23=(-1*26)+3 (or -23mod26=3).
Take a look at the string PRIMENUMBER - which one of its letters has the smallest ordinal number?
2. Subtract 6 from the string PRIMENUMBER.
Which is the third letter of the resultant string?
Note: subtraction from a word is done simply by operating on its ordinal number array: write down the ordinal numbers corresponding to each of the word's letters and subtract each one of them in order to receive the ordinal numbers of the resultant word.
Example: subtracting 6 from DOG gives XIA (DOG-6=XIA)
DOG=(4,15,7)
DOG-6=(4-6,15-6,7-6)=(-2,9,1)
(-2,9,1)mod26=(-1*26+24,9,1)mod26=(24,9,1)
(24,9,1)=XIA
3. Even-divide the string you now have by 2.
Which is the first letter of the resultant string?
Note: even-dividing a string by 2 is done by halving letters whose ordinal number is even while leaving untouched letters whose ordinal number is odd. The notation of even-division is "//".
Example: even-halving DOG gives BOG (DOG//2=BOG)
DOG=(4,15,7)
DOG//2=(4/2,15,7)=(2,15,7)
(2,15,7)=BOG
4. Even-add 1 to the string you now have.
Which is the letter which appears the most times in the resultant string?
Note: even-adding 1 to a string is done by adding 1 to letters whose ordinal number is even while leaving untouched letters whose ordinal number is odd. The notation of even-addition is "++".
Example: even-adding 1 to DOG gives EOG (DOG++1=EOG)
DOG=(4,15,7)
DOG++1=(4+1,15,7)=(5,15,7)
(5,15,7)=EOG
5. Remove the letters which are evenly divisible by 3 from the string you now have.
Which is the only letter that appears once in the resultant string?
Note: a letter is evenly divisible by 3 if its ordinal number is.
Example: removing letters evenly divisible by 3 from DOG gives DG
DOG=(4,15,7) where only 15 is evenly divisible by 3 and the O is removed
DOG-O=DG
6. Remove the letters which appear exactly twice from the string you now have.
Which is the letter whose ordinal number corresponds to the addition of the ordinal numbers of the five letters of the resultant string?
Note: remember that ordinal numbers are modulo 26.
Example: addition of the ordinal numbers of the word DOGMA gives the letter N
DOGMA=(4,15,7,13,1)
4+15+7+13+1=40
40mod26=14 (since 40=1*26+14)
The letter whose ordinal number is 14 is N
7. Square the string you now have.
Which is the fourth letter of the resultant string?
Note: remember that ordinal numbers are modulo 26.
Example: squaring DOG gives PQW (DOG2=PQW)
DOG=(4,15,7)
DOG2=(42,152,72)=(16,225,49)
(16,225,49)mod26=(16,8*26+17,1*26+23)mod26=(16,17,23)
(16,17,23)=PQW
8. Remove the four identical letters from the string you now have.
Multiply the remaining letter by 21.
Which is the resultant letter?
9. You've worked hard enough to get here. All you have to do in this step is write down the letter whose ordinal number is bigger by 4 than the one of letter you now have.
Which is the resultant letter?
10. Time for the 9 for 10 bit.
Take a long hard look at the answers you have for the first nine questions.
Don't forget where you started.
Which is the number that comes next in the series formed by a certain numerical property of the first nine answers?
Source: Author
gentlegiant17
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
crisw before going online.
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