457 = 4² + 21², and it is the hypotenuse of the primitive Pythagorean triple 168-425-457. Also, 457 is the sum of some consecutive prime numbers. One of my readers posted those primes in the comments.
A long time ago I decided that Pythagorean triples could make a great logic puzzle, so I created one. You can see it directly underneath the following directions:
This puzzle is NOT drawn to scale. Angles that are marked as right angles are 90 degrees, but any angle that looks like a 45 degree angle, isn’t 45 degrees. Lines that look parallel are NOT parallel. Shorter looking line segments may actually be longer than longer looking line segments. Most rules of geometry do not apply here: in fact non-adjacent triangles in the drawing might actually overlap.
No geometry is needed to solve this puzzle. All that is needed is the table of Pythagorean triples under the puzzle. The puzzle only uses triples in which each leg and each hypotenuse is less than 100 units long. The puzzle has only one solution.
If any of these directions are not clear, let me know in the comments. I will NOT be publishing the solution to this puzzle, but I will allow anyone who desires to put any or all of the missing values in the comments. Also, the comments will help me determine if I should publish another puzzle like this one.
Good Luck!
Print the puzzles or type the solution on this excel file: 10 Factors 2015-04-13
—————————————————————————————————
- 457 is a prime number.
- Prime factorization: 457 is prime.
- The exponent of prime number 457 is 1. Adding 1 to that exponent we get (1 + 1) = 2. Therefore 457 has exactly 2 factors.
- Factors of 457: 1, 457
- Factor pairs: 457 = 1 x 457
- 457 has no square factors that allow its square root to be simplified. √457 ≈ 21.3776
How do we know that 457 is a prime number? If 457 were not a prime number, then it would be divisible by at least one prime number less than or equal to √457 ≈ 21.3776. Since 457 cannot be divided evenly by 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, or 19, we know that 457 is a prime number.
Here are the three consecutive primes whose sum is 457 🙂
149, 151 ,157
That was quick! Good job!
Thank you 🙂 I am so glad that I could be a part of your blog as much as you are a part of my blogs 🙂
This was great. The puzzle took my best 8th grade math student 30 min. to complete. I am always looking for things to challenge him.
Fabulous! Thank you so much for letting me know. Your best 8th grade math student is quite fortunate to have a teacher who strives to challenge him!
This is an amazing puzzle. My 6th grade students loved the challenge!
I’m so glad you shared it with them!