Please help an 8-year-old! (it's not me)
Using only the digits 1, 4, 5, and 7, and one addition sign, and one subtraction sign, find a way to get the answer 19. ex: 57-1+4

Question

Please help an 8-year-old! (it's not me)
Using only the digits 1, 4, 5, and 7, and one addition sign, and one subtraction sign, find a way to get the answer 19. ex: 57-1+4

cathyangs · Answer

it can only have an addition sign and a subtraction sign, no brackets or anything. No powers, bases or anything like that either.

cathyangs · Answer

basically something you can do on a non-programming, elementary-school calculator

anonymous · Answer

can you use the digits more than once?

cathyangs · Answer

nope.

anonymous · Answer

...Well, the closest I can get is 17+5-4=18 
:/

cathyangs · Answer

XD that's how close I got.

saifoo.khan · Answer

We can use only + and - ?

cathyangs · Answer

yup, and you can only use each one time.

saifoo.khan · Answer

THinking..

cathyangs · Answer

I do so believe that this is the hardest third-grade question on openstudy...OTL

unklerhaukus · Answer

not possible

cathyangs · Answer

...ok... why?
This is a "three-star" problem on a 3rd grader's hw...it's not possible?

anonymous · Answer

Does it have to use ALL the digits and signs?

cathyangs · Answer

yes. the image is a calculator with all the keys you have to use once checked.

unklerhaukus · Answer

can you please check to see if the whole question has be written correctly

cathyangs · Answer

it is. 
here is the exact phrasing:
Below each calculator, write a number sentence to give the answer shown. The symbols and digits to use are checked on each calculator. 
the answer is 19. The digits and symbols are 1, 4, 5, 7, -, + and =.

anonymous · Answer

Wait, if that's the exact question, then does it say in the -directions- to use everything once?

If so, then I have to agree with UnkleRhaukus. I can only get as far as 18 with these numbers.

saifoo.khan · Answer

lol, same here.. i dont knw where to add 1. keep on gettinh 18.

cathyangs · Answer

it does't explicitly say, but all the other questions like that on the same sheet only use each digit once.

anonymous · Answer

Ahhhh. This is making my brain hurt.

Either it's a type of trick question where you do use them more than once, like:
17 + 5 - 4 + 1 = 19
Or a typo.

I'm sorry, I just can't figure this one out. ):

saifoo.khan · Answer

might be a mis-print in the book?

cathyangs · Answer

it's not a book...but perhaps.