Tevfik Ibrahim Tevfik

K0849321
Concepts of Mathematics
Coursework 2

We are given four digits (all strictly positive, i.e. greater than 0) arranged in a square with a
distinct digit from 1 to 9 in each quarter.

We make this arrangement into 4 integers by reading horizontally and vertically and then add
these numbers up. So, in the above example,

56 + 32 +53 + 62 = 203

However, if we replace the numbers with the letters a, b, c, and d, the square would look like:

If we read these letters in the same way as we would read the digits in the first example, we
would get:

(10a + b) + (10c + d) + (10a + c) + (10b + d)

= 20a +11b +11c + 2d

Research Question A

We are asked to find the number of different ways (with different combinations of the digits)
that the square can be filled so that the resulting sum is 200. Hence,

20a +11b +11c + 2d = 200

I noticed that the coefficients of a and d are both even numbers, and any positive integer
multiplied by an even number will also equal to an even number. This means that no matter
what number a and d is from 1 to 9, 20a and 2d will always be even. Since the number on the
RHS of the equation, 200, is also an even number, subtracting 20a and 2d by 200 will still
give an even number:

11b + 11c = 200 – 20a – 2d

(where the RHS of the equation is even)

I also noticed that the since the coefficients of b and c are both 11, it can be factorised

11(b + c) = 200 – 20a – 2d

Hence, the sum b + c can only be an even number that is divisible by 11.

If we look at all of the multiples of 11 smaller than 200:

11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99, 110, 121, 132, 143, 154, 165, 176, 187 and 198

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Out of all of these, the only even ones are:

22, 44, 66, 88, 110, 132, 154, 176 and 198.

Now, let the RHS = 22, i.e. 200 – 20a + 2d = 22

This only works when a = 8 and d = 9:

200 – (20 x 8) + (2 x 9) = 200 – 160 – 18 = 22
Hence, 11 (b + c) = 22
⇒b + c = 2

This works when b = 1 and c = 1

Which doesn’t work as b and c would both have to be equal to 1, and since the same number
cannot be used more than once, there is no solution.

Now, let the RHS = 44, i.e. 200 – 20a + 2d = 44

This only works when a = 7 and d = 8:

200 – (20 x 7) + (2 x 8) = 200 – 140 – 16 = 44
Hence, 11 (b + c) = 44
⇒b + c = 4

This works when EITHER b = 1 and c = 3

OR b = 3 and c = 1
OR b = 2 and c = 2
Since we can only use the solutions highlighted in yellow, as the rest are invalid, there are 2
solutions:
1. a = 7, b = 1, c = 3, d = 8
2. a = 7, b = 3, c = 1, d = 8

Now, let the RHS = 66, i.e. 200 – 20a + 2d = 66

This only works when a = 6 and d = 7:

200 – (20 x 6) + (2 x 7) = 200 – 120 – 14 = 66
Hence, 11 (b + c) = 66
⇒b + c = 6

This works when EITHER b = 1 and c = 5

OR b = 5 and c = 1
OR b = 2 and c = 4
OR b = 4 and c = 2
OR b = 3 and c = 3
Since we can only use the solutions highlighted in yellow, as the rest are invalid, there are 4
solutions:
1. a = 6, b = 1, c = 5, d = 7
2. a = 6, b = 5, c = 1, d = 7
3. a = 6, b = 2, c = 4, d = 7
4. a = 6, b = 4, c = 2, d = 7

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Now, let the RHS = 88, i.e. 200 – 20a + 2d = 88

This only works when a = 5 and d = 6:

200 – (20 x 5) + (2 x 6) = 200 – 100 – 12 = 88
Hence, 11 (b + c) = 88
⇒b + c = 8

This works when EITHER b = 1 and c = 7

OR b = 7 and c = 1
OR b = 2 and c = 6
OR b = 6 and c = 2
OR b = 3 and c = 5
OR b = 5 and c = 3
OR b = 4 and c = 4

Since we can only use the solutions highlighted in yellow, as the rest are invalid, there are 2
solutions:
1. a = 5, b = 1, c = 7, d = 6
2. a = 5, b = 7, c = 1, d = 6

Now, let the RHS = 110, i.e. 200 – 20a + 2d = 110

This only works when a = 4 and d = 5:

200 – (20 x 4) + (2 x 5) = 200 – 80 – 10 = 110
Hence, 11 (b + c) = 110
⇒ b + c = 10

This works when EITHER b = 1 and c = 9

OR b = 9 and c = 1
OR b = 2 and c = 8
OR b = 8 and c = 2
OR b = 3 and c = 7
OR b = 7 and c = 3
OR b = 4 and c = 6
OR b = 6 and c = 4
OR b = 5 and c = 5

Since we can only use the solutions highlighted in yellow, as the rest are invalid, there are 6
solutions:
1. a = 4, b = 1, c = 9, d = 5
2. a = 4, b = 9, c = 1, d = 5
3. a = 4, b = 2, c = 8, d = 5
4. a = 4, b = 8, c = 2, d = 5
5. a = 4, b = 3, c = 7, d = 5
6. a = 4, b = 7, c = 3, d = 5

Now, let the RHS = 132, i.e. 200 – 20a + 2d = 132

This only works when a = 3 and d = 4:

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 200 – (20 x 3) + (2 x 4) = 200 – 60 – 8 = 132
Hence, 11 (b + c) = 132
⇒ b + c = 12

This works when EITHER b = 1 and c = 11

OR b = 11 and c = 1
OR b = 2 and c = 10
OR b = 10 and c = 2
OR b = 3 and c = 9
OR b = 9 and c = 3
OR b = 4 and c = 8
OR b = 8 and c = 4
OR b = 5 and c = 7
OR b = 7 and c = 5
OR b = 6 and c = 6

Since we can only use the solutions highlighted in yellow, as the rest are invalid, there are 2
solutions:
1. a = 3, b = 5, c = 7, d = 4
2. a = 3, b = 7, c = 5, d = 4

Now, let the RHS = 154, i.e. 200 – 20a + 2d = 154

This only works when a = 2 and d = 3:

200 – (20 x 2) + (2 x 3) = 200 – 40 – 6 = 154
Hence, 11 (b + c) = 154
⇒ b + c = 14

This works when EITHER b = 1 and c = 13

OR b = 13 and c = 1
OR b = 2 and c = 12
OR b = 12 and c = 2
OR b = 3 and c = 11
OR b = 11 and c = 3
OR b = 4 and c = 10
OR b = 10 and c = 4
OR b = 5 and c = 9
OR b = 9 and c = 5
OR b = 6 and c = 8
OR b = 8 and c = 6
OR b = 7 and c = 7

Since we can only use the solutions highlighted in yellow, as the rest are invalid, there are 4
solutions:
1. a = 2, b = 5, c = 9, d = 3
2. a = 2, b = 9, c = 5, d = 3
3. a = 2, b = 6, c = 8, d = 3
4. a = 2, b = 8, c = 6, d = 3

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Now, let the RHS = 176, i.e. 200 – 20a + 2d = 176

This only works when a = 1 and d = 2:

200 – (20 x 1) + (2 x 2) = 200 – 20 – 4 = 176
Hence, 11 (b + c) = 176
⇒ b + c = 16

This works when EITHER b = 1 and c = 15

OR b = 15 and c = 1
OR b = 2 and c = 14
OR b = 14 and c = 2
OR b = 3 and c = 13
OR b = 13 and c = 3
OR b = 4 and c = 12
OR b = 12 and c = 4
OR b = 5 and c = 11
OR b = 11 and c = 5
OR b = 6 and c = 10
OR b = 10 and c = 6
OR b = 7 and c = 9
OR b = 9 and c = 7
OR b = 8 and c = 8

Since we can only use the solutions highlighted in yellow, as the rest are invalid, there are 2
solutions:
1. a = 1, b = 7, c = 9, d = 2
2. a = 1, b = 9, c = 7, d = 2

Now, let the RHS = 198, i.e. 200 – 20a + 2d = 198

However, there are no solutions because a would have to be 0, which isn’t possible since the
digits can only be from 1 to 9. Since 198 is the last number that is even, divisible by 11 and
smaller than 200, we have reached the end.

There are 22 possible combinations in total, given that each digit can only be used no more
than once. However, if we can use the same number more than once, this would give a totally
different number of combinations.

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Research Question B

In this part of the research, all the solutions that were valid will still be valid, as well as some
of the ones that had to be excluded. The solutions that were excluded above were either
excluded because they used the same number more than once, or because the values were not
in the 1 to 9 range.
The solutions highlighted grey, are those of which couldn’t be used in the previous part of the
research as they repeatedly used the same number. However, in this part of the research they
are valid.

Hence, the total number of sets highlighted in yellow + the total number of sets highlighted in
grey, is the total number of ways that you can fill a square so that the resulting sum is 200.
That is,
22 + 18 = 40

Therefore, 40 different squares can be made if repetition of numbers is allowed.