# The Mathematics Club

There's a new cool kids club in town called the Math Club. Of course you want to go in, but the only way in is if you know the password. Next to the door (and the bouncer) is a large sign that says:

"Count by numbers and feed me lines.
Do these things and you’ll get good wines.
But feed me wrong or go too far.
And you’ll be found covered in tar."

In an attempt to overhear the password, you watch the Club's main door for a few hours and you see multiple people go in, each one gets stopped by the bouncer and asked a question. These are the questions you managed to overhear:

"What is $\ 11+12$?"
The patron answered "$\ 6$".

"What is $\ 34+3$?"
The patron answered "$\ 4$".

"What is $\ 9+10$?"
The patron answered "$\ 5$".

"What is $\ 11+8$?"
The patron answered "$\ 8$".

"What is $\ 7+1$?"
The patron answered "$\ 2$".

"What is $\ 5+4$?"
The patron answered "$\ 6$".

"What is $\ 11+2$?"
The patron answered "$\ 6$".

"What is $\ 0+1$?"
The patron answered "$\ 4$".

"What is $\ 9+7$?"
The patron answered "$\ 4$".

"What is $\ 55+72$?"
The patron answered "$\ 4$".

"What is $\ 100+1$?"
The patron answered "$\ 2$".

"What is $\ 46+87$?"
The patron answered "$\ 7$".

"What is $\ 20+75$?"
The patron answered "$\ 3$".

"What is $\ 99+0$?"
The patron answered "$\ 6$".

Thinking you understand the process you walk up to the bouncer.

"What is $\ 0+8$?"

If you would like more examples.

This pattern works other languages but it would be slightly different.

The sign next to the bouncer is related to the numbers.

Like numbers can be cancelled out.
ie:$\ 100+0 =4\\ 115+0 =4\\ \therefore 100+0 = 115 + 0 \\ \therefore 100= 115$

The answers to each of the bouncer's questions are the normal values not the puzzle ones.

Requested Examples:

$\\3+34=4\\1+0=4\\1+100=2\\0+100=4\\115+0=4\\11+0=7\\12+0=5$

I think the answer to $0+8$ is

$7$

Reasoning

For each number, take the first letter of the word (as written in English) and count how many distinct segments (or possibly separate 'pen strokes') make up that letter.

For example, "T" takes $2$, one horizontal line segment and one vertical.

More examples

$9 + 10$

is Nine plus Ten.

N is made up of $3$ segments and T is made up of $2$, so the answer is $5$.

$0 + 1$

is Zero plus One.

Z is made of $3$ line segments and O is just $1$ circular segment, so the answer is $4$.

$8 + 5$

is Eight plus Five.

E is made of $4$ line segments (one vertical, three horizontal) and F is made of $3$ so we would get $7$.

• Correct. Right answer, right logic. – dcfyj Aug 11 '16 at 16:23
• Wow that's a lot simpler than doing algebra to get the answer – Areeb Aug 11 '16 at 19:58

0 + 8 =

7

Because:

11 + 8 = 8 Therefore 11 is equal to a regular 0(not a zero from this puzzle)
We can plug that into 11 + 12 = 6 to find that 12 = 6
We also know that 12 + 0 = 5
If we substitute in 6 for 12, we get 6 + 0 = 5
Therefore 0 = regular -1
And when you take that back to our original equation, 8 + regular -1 = 7

I haven't figured out how the sign factors into the answer

• You're assuming that the 8 in the puzzle is a regular 8 :P – dcfyj Aug 11 '16 at 15:03
• facepalm gosh darn it! I'll figure this out! – Areeb Aug 11 '16 at 15:50
• @dcfyj did the rest of my math check out? – Areeb Aug 11 '16 at 15:51
• In terms of Math it's correct, but in terms of this puzzle, none of your reasoning is correct. Aside from the basic logic of how to get the answer. – dcfyj Aug 11 '16 at 15:52
• Does this puzzle have any basis in normal mathematics? – Areeb Aug 11 '16 at 15:55