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[MaineWriter]

 THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR (2007) IT WILL EVER WORK, SO SPREAD IT
  AROUND WHILE IT LASTS
 

I don't understand why this will only work in 2007, since nothing was entered that had to do with this year's date...

 

L

[MaineWriter]

Here's another one:

Grab a calculator.

1. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the area code)

2. Multiply by 80

3. Add 1

4. Multiply by 250

5. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number

6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again

7. Subtract 250

8. Divide by 2

Recognize the answer?

L

[David]

Jakes phone number?     

[Penthesilea]

Recognize the answer?

L

Nope 

[Penthesilea]

Recognize the answer?

L

Ok, I tried again, just to make sure I didn't have a typo on my claculator or sumpn.

Still 

The last four digits are my phone number - but the first three?

[MaineWriter]

Ok, I tried again, just to make sure I didn't have a typo on my claculator or sumpn.

Still 

The last four digits are my phone number - but the first three?

It should show your phone number, assuming you have a seven digit number.

The math behind this, for anyone who is interested:

The forumla for the steps would be:

(((80x + 1) * 250 + 2y) - 250) * 0.5

where x is the first three digits of your phone number and y is the last four digits.

This can be simplified, as follows:

0.5 * ((80x + 1) * 250 + 2y) - 125

(80x + 1) * 125 + y - 125

125 * 80x + 125 + y - 125

125 * 80x + y

10000x + y

Note that the effect of multiplying by 10000 is to shift the first three digits of your phone number left by four digits, effectively "making room" for the last four digits.

So really someone just did the simple thing (multiply by 10000) then factored in a bunch of silly ways to obfuscate what they were doing...and make it look miraculous. LOL

L

[David]

Ok, I tried again, just to make sure I didn't have a typo on my claculator or sumpn.

Still 

The last four digits are my phone number - but the first three?

The first TWO times I tried that it didn't work either.    But then I realized I was misreading the instructions.   LOL

[Penthesilea]

It should show your phone number, assuming you have a seven digit number.

I figured something like this. My phone number has only four digits.

[MaineWriter]

I don't understand why this will only work in 2007, since nothing was entered that had to do with this year's date...

L

No one answered my question so I had to figure it out for myself!

It's technically correct: You have to change step 5 every year. Next year, it'll be 1758/1757.

The formula is is a convlution of (100*x)+y where x is the number of times you want to go out to eat/have sex/whatever and y is your age.

It doesn't work if you're over a hundred. It does work if you choose more than ten times, except that the result isn't three digits anymore.

50(2x+5)+(1757-y) =
100x+250+(1757-y) =
100x+(2007-y)=

If we call 2007-y "age" (which it will be, if you've had your birthday) we get:

100x+age = oooh, spooky magic trick

You know folks, I should be doing some real work here! LOL

L

[Sheriff Roland]

Recognize the answer?

OK since everyone else is responding, I will too

I was off on just one digit (the 3rd one) but since I did it manually (without a calculator) I figured I'd done sumthin wrong, but since I'm not alone ... I feel less inadequate.