Question

Create the numbers from 1 to 40 using only the digits 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1, in that order.
Rules:

You may not change the order of the numbers

You may use addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and parentheses as many times as needed

Example:

1=5-4+3-2-1

Answer 1

Answer: Take the digits 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1, in that order. Using those digits and the four arithmetic signs — plus, minus, times and divided by — you can get 1 with the sequence 5 - 4 + 3 - 2 - 1. You can get 2 with the sequence (5 - 4 + 3 - 2) x 1.

The question is ... how many numbers from 1 to 40 can you get using the digits 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 in that order along with the four arithmetic signs?

You can group digits with parentheses, as in the example. There are no tricks to this, though. It's a straightforward puzzle. How many numbers from 1 to 40 can you get — and, specifically, what number or numbers can you not get?Step-by-step explanation: