Four Fours - Solutions

Solutions

Here is a set of four fours solutions for the numbers 0 through 20, using typical rules. Some alternate solutions are listed here, although there are actually many more correct solutions. The entries in blue are those that use four integers 4 (rather than four digits 4) and the basic arithmetic operations. Numbers without blue entries have no solution under these constraints. Additionally, solutions that repeat operators are marked in italics.

0 = 4 ÷ 4 × 4 − 4 = 44 −44 1 = 4 ÷ 4 + 4 − 4 = 44 ÷44 2 = 4 −(4 + 4)÷ 4 = (44 + 4) ÷ 4! 3 = (4 × 4 − 4)÷ 4 4 = 4 + 4 ×(4 − 4) = −44 + 4! + 4! 5 = (4 × 4 + 4)÷ 4 = (44 − 4!)÷ 4 6 = 4 +(4 + 4)÷ 4 = 4.4 + 4 ×.4 7 = 4 + 4 − 4 ÷ 4 = 44 ÷ 4 − 4 8 = 4 ÷ 4 × 4 + 4 = 4.4 −.4 + 4 9 = 4 ÷ 4 + 4 + 4 = 44 ÷ 4 −√4 10 = 4 + 4 + 4 −√4 = (44 − 4) ÷ 4 11 = 4 ÷ 4 + 4 ÷.4 = 44 ÷√4 ÷√4 12 = 4 ×(4 − 4 ÷ 4) = (44 + 4) ÷ 4 13 = (4 −.4)÷.4 + 4 = 44 ÷ 4 +√4 14 = 4 ×(4 −.4)−.4 = 4 + 4 + 4 +√4 15 = 4 × 4 − 4 ÷ 4 = 44 ÷ 4 + 4 16 = 4 × 4 + 4 − 4 = (44 − 4) ×.4 17 = 4 × 4 + 4 ÷ 4 = (44 + 4!)÷ 4 18 = 4 × 4 + 4 −√4 = (44 ÷√4) − 4 19 = 4!− 4 −(4 ÷ 4) = (4 + 4 −.4) ÷.4 20 = 4 ×(4 + 4 ÷ 4) = (44 − 4) ÷√4

There are also many other ways to find the answer for all of these.

Note that numbers with values less than one are not usually written with a leading zero. For example, "0.4" is usually written as ".4". This is because "0" is a digit, and in this puzzle only the digit "4" can be used.

A given number will generally have few possible solutions; any solution that meets the rules is acceptable. Some variations prefer the "fewest" number of operations, or prefer some operations to others. Others simply prefer "interesting" solutions, i.e., a surprising way to reach the goal.

Certain numbers, such as 113 and 123, are particularly difficult to solve under typical rules. For 113, Wheeler suggests Γ(Γ(4)) −(4! + 4)/4. For 123, Wheeler suggests the expression:

The use of percent ("%") admits solutions for a much greater proportion of numbers; for example, 113 = (√4 + (√4 + 4!)%) ÷ (√4)%.

The first printed occurrence of this activity is in "Mathematical Recreations and Essays" by W. W. Rouse Ball published in 1892. In this book it is described as a "traditional recreation".

In his discussion of the problem Ball calls it "An arithmetical amusement, said to have been first propounded in 1881, ...." . This date aligns with the appearance of the problem in Knowledge, An Illustrated Magazine of Science, (Dec 30, 1881) edited by Richard A. Proctor, the English astronomer who is remembered for one of the earliest maps of Mars.