11 Players on the Pitch: Can You Crack the Code?
Imagine being the coach of a football team with eleven players, each wearing a unique number from 1 to 11 - but with one twist: the goalkeeper wears the iconic number one. Your task is to divide your squad into defenders, midfielders, and forwards in such a way that the sum of their shirt numbers is divisible by 11.
While this might seem like a straightforward task, mathematicians are often faced with more complex challenges. In today's puzzles, we delve into some fascinating properties of the number eleven, from its palindromic patterns to divisibility rules.
The 11-times table feels delightfully simple at first - 11 × 1 = 11, 11 × 2 = 22, and so on. However, as we reach higher numbers, such as 11 × 9 = 99, the results become palindromes: numbers that read the same forwards and backwards.
But how many more answers are palindromes beyond 11 x 99? The answer might surprise you - at least one more! For instance, 11 × 56 equals 616, a palindrome itself. This intriguing pattern invites us to explore further.
For those interested in advanced math concepts, we have a simple yet powerful divisibility rule for eleven: add the digits alternately with plus and minus signs (starting with a plus). If the result is a multiple of 11, including 0, then the original number is divisible by 11. This rule can be applied to create the largest possible 10-digit number that is divisible by 11 using each digit from 0-9 exactly once.
As we wrap up today's puzzles, let's take a moment to appreciate the innovative University Maths Schools in the UK. With nine schools already open and several more on the way, these institutions provide a unique environment for mathematical exploration and discovery. If you're passionate about maths like these schools, now is the perfect time to apply for September 2026.
Stay tuned for more puzzles and challenges on alternate Mondays. If you have a great puzzle in mind, send it our way - we'd love to hear from you!
Imagine being the coach of a football team with eleven players, each wearing a unique number from 1 to 11 - but with one twist: the goalkeeper wears the iconic number one. Your task is to divide your squad into defenders, midfielders, and forwards in such a way that the sum of their shirt numbers is divisible by 11.
While this might seem like a straightforward task, mathematicians are often faced with more complex challenges. In today's puzzles, we delve into some fascinating properties of the number eleven, from its palindromic patterns to divisibility rules.
The 11-times table feels delightfully simple at first - 11 × 1 = 11, 11 × 2 = 22, and so on. However, as we reach higher numbers, such as 11 × 9 = 99, the results become palindromes: numbers that read the same forwards and backwards.
But how many more answers are palindromes beyond 11 x 99? The answer might surprise you - at least one more! For instance, 11 × 56 equals 616, a palindrome itself. This intriguing pattern invites us to explore further.
For those interested in advanced math concepts, we have a simple yet powerful divisibility rule for eleven: add the digits alternately with plus and minus signs (starting with a plus). If the result is a multiple of 11, including 0, then the original number is divisible by 11. This rule can be applied to create the largest possible 10-digit number that is divisible by 11 using each digit from 0-9 exactly once.
As we wrap up today's puzzles, let's take a moment to appreciate the innovative University Maths Schools in the UK. With nine schools already open and several more on the way, these institutions provide a unique environment for mathematical exploration and discovery. If you're passionate about maths like these schools, now is the perfect time to apply for September 2026.
Stay tuned for more puzzles and challenges on alternate Mondays. If you have a great puzzle in mind, send it our way - we'd love to hear from you!
. The 11 times table might seem simple at first, but those palindromes like 99 and 616 are pretty cool 
. It got me thinking about how many more numbers out there are just waiting to be discovered. And that divisibility rule? Genius 
, I love how it can help create the largest possible number using each digit from 0-9 exactly once. One thing I'm not so sure about is the puzzle involving the University Maths Schools in the UK, though - it feels like they might be getting a bit too popular 
. Anyway, looking forward to next Monday's puzzle! 
I mean, i'm all for challenge my brain but 11 players on the pitch seems kinda weird lol imagine u gotta strategize which position is best for num 7 vs num 8 
and thats not even a real football thing
but i guess it's kinda cool how mathematicians can see order in things. and yeah, that divisibility rule for eleven is actually pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it 
). The idea of using the math rule for eleven is genius - who knew that adding digits alternately with plus and minus signs could be so cool? 
. I'm definitely keeping an eye out for more puzzles like this... bring it on! 
, then I'm all for it! And hey, if there are universities out there that are awesome at math and want to recruit smart people like you (or me 
), then more power to 'em! Who knows, maybe this puzzle thing is the key to unlocking some new kind of mathematical genius 
.
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You know what's wild? How many times do we have meetings with our team on a Friday afternoon 
We should def make a routine or algorithm out of it so we can optimize our workflow 
And I don't get why they're promoting these University Maths Schools in the UK. Are they going to give away free degrees or something? 
like, how do they even come up with that stuff? 
but I'm sure it takes some math skills to actually solve it