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So there was a spaceship sent back with the following picture that assumed to constitute an addition. What is the base of the number system?

   # *    # * _________  # ^ # 

How would I find this out...? I have no clue how to approach this!

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    See this question: http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/47750/puzzle-box-box-box-bigstar-box :)2012-02-07

1 Answers 1

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Have you considered the possibility that this is base 3? This would have the following implications:

  1. * is either 1 or 2, because * + * $\neq$ *.
  2. # is either 1 or 2 as well for the same reasons.
  3. This means ^ must be 0.

What happens when you assume * = 1 and # = 2? Does the result make sense? What about when you assume * = 2 and # = 1?

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    Another observation you can make is that no matter what, # must be 1 as you are adding two 2-digit numbers to get a 3-digit number starting with #.2012-02-07