Take 4 matchsticks and set them out in this pattern:
VII
In mathematics this is 7 in Roman numerals. Now move just a single matchstick and the answer should be 1 (one).
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asked Aug 21, 2017 at 9:47
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7 Answers
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You
move the right-most matchstick to go above the others and horizontal,
so that
the matches spell out $\sqrt{1}$, which is of course 1.
Like this:
answered Aug 21, 2017 at 9:51
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6$\begingroup$ This is only the correct answer if you focus on the positive side of life. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 23, 2017 at 18:46
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Move
one of the I's to the beginning
like so:
I V I which in logic and proper numerals is 1 or 1
giving
the answer true
which is
binary value of 1
2
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1
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4
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I'd say you can
strike through the
Vwith anI, so that theVis a mistake! This giveswhich is one.VI
I kept thinking that the answer must be in Roman numerals and thus came up with this.
answered Aug 22, 2017 at 8:11
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1
You
take the right-most matchstick, and polish it until it has a mirror-like sheen, then place it above the others and look at it at from a very low viewpoint, so that the matchsticks and their reflection look
like this:
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which reads
01
PS
Best of luck with the polishing ;)
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Other answers are really so weird... Should not it be like this:
Move the first match below the two last matches
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$\begingroup$ Welcome to Puzzling.SE. This is a very good first try :) $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 22, 2017 at 11:34
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Moving the last match to the first position makes: IVI. This is the roman numeral for one thousand (since the question didn't specify one of what).
