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Make 24
How to play
Goal
Use all four numbers, each exactly once, with adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing to make 24.
How it works
- Tap a number, then a sign (+ − × ÷), then a second number. The two are replaced by the answer.
- Keep combining until one number is left. If it's 24, you've solved it.
- Undo takes back your last step. “Show me” reveals one way to do it, and a new deal follows.
- Easy deals can always be solved without dividing. Tricky deals need division, and sometimes fractions along the way.
- Every deal has at least one solution.
Example
With 1, 2, 3 and 4: 1 + 2 = 3, then 3 + 3 = 6, then 6 × 4 = 24.
Tips
- Know the friendly pairs that make 24: 3 × 8, 4 × 6, 2 × 12, 1 × 24, and 12 + 12, 20 + 4, 30 − 6.
- Look for a way to make 8 with three numbers when you hold a 3, or 6 when you hold a 4.
- A 1 is handy: multiplying or dividing by it changes nothing, so use it to tidy up.
- Fractions are allowed in the middle. For example 8 ÷ (3 − 8 ÷ 3) = 24.
The history of Make 24
Making 24 from four playing cards is a popular game across China, where it is often called 24 points (èrshísì diǎn) and played in schools to sharpen mental arithmetic. Similar card games are played around the world.