This is a famous problem from 1882, for which a prize of $1,000 was offered for the best solution. The aim is to arrange the seven digits 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0, along with eight dots, into numbers so that their sum is as close as possible to 82. Each digit may be used only once.
The dots may be used in two ways: as decimal points and to indicate a repeating decimal. The zero before the decimal point is omitted, so "0.5" is written as ".5".
A dot above a digit indicates that it repeats indefinitely. For example, the fraction 1⁄3 (0.333...) can be written as .3.
To indicate a repeating part made up of several digits, place a dot above the first and last digits of that part. Thus, the fraction 1⁄7 can be written as .142857.
The question:
How close can you get to 82?
The solution:
Click here!