Math Test
It's only quadratic functions
Scientists, being excellent at math quickly identified each of these as a quadratic function that had 2 roots each.
Example: a^2-5a-234=0 can be represented as (a+18)(a-13)=0, meaning it has a positive root of a=13 and a negative root of a=-18
Finding the 2 roots for every equation (1 positive and 1 negative) results in the chart below.
| Equation | Pos Roots | Letter | Neg Roots | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
p^2-5p-126=0 | 14 | N | 9 | I |
x^2-5x-150=0 | 15 | O | 10 | J |
b^2-10b-299=0 | 23 | W | 13 | M |
q^2+12q-325=0 | 13 | M | 25 | Y |
g^2+5g-300=0 | 15 | O | 20 | T |
v^2-8v-308=0 | 22 | V | 14 | N |
e^2+5e-50=0 | 5 | E | 10 | J |
m^2-6m-352+0 | 22 | V | 16 | P |
y^2+19y-20=0 | 1 | A | 20 | T |
a^2-5a-234=0 | 18 | R | 13 | M |
l^2-361=0 | 19 | S | 19 | S |
u^2-4=0 | 2 | B | 2 | B |
d^2-14d-275=0 | 25 | Y | 11 | K |
t^2-8t-84=0 | 14 | N | 6 | F |
f^2-f-20=0 | 5 | E | 4 | D |
k^2+16k-161=0 | 7 | G | 23 | W |
o^2+22o-23=0 | 1 | A | 23 | W |
j^2-11j-180=0 | 20 | T | 9 | I |
r^2+4r-117=0 | 9 | I | 13 | M |
w^2-8w-308=0 | 22 | V | 14 | N |
c^2+c-30=0 | 5 | E | 6 | F |
z^2-10z-144=0 | 18 | R | 8 | H |
i^2-225=0 | 15 | O | 15 | O |
n^2-6n-135=0 | 15 | O | 9 | I |
s^2-6s-280=0 | 20 | T | 14 | N |
h^2+6h-475=0 | 19 | S | 25 | Y |
The positive roots when converted to letters spell the message NOW MOVE VARS BY NEGATIVE ROOTS. Converting the variable letter to its A1Z26 value and subtracting the Negative Root (ex. for Var P, its value is 16, the negative root for its equation is 9, so 16-9=7, which is converted back to the letter G. Completing this gives the chart below.
| Equation | Var | Neg Roots | Shifted by Root | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
p^2-5p-126=0 | 16 | 9 | 7 | G |
x^2-5x-150=0 | 24 | 10 | 14 | N |
b^2-10b-299=0 | 2 | 13 | 15 | O |
q^2+12q-325=0 | 17 | 25 | 18 | R |
g^2+5g-300=0 | 7 | 20 | 13 | M |
v^2-8v-308=0 | 22 | 14 | 8 | H |
e^2+5e-50=0 | 5 | 10 | 21 | U |
m^2-6m-352+0 | 13 | 16 | 23 | W |
y^2+19y-20=0 | 25 | 20 | 5 | E |
a^2-5a-234=0 | 1 | 13 | 14 | N |
l^2-361=0 | 12 | 19 | 19 | S |
u^2-4=0 | 21 | 2 | 19 | S |
d^2-14d-275=0 | 4 | 11 | 19 | S |
t^2-8t-84=0 | 20 | 6 | 14 | N |
f^2-f-20=0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | B |
k^2+16k-161=0 | 11 | 23 | 14 | N |
o^2+22o-23=0 | 15 | 23 | 18 | R |
j^2-11j-180=0 | 10 | 9 | 1 | A |
r^2+4r-117=0 | 18 | 13 | 5 | E |
w^2-8w-308=0 | 23 | 14 | 9 | I |
c^2+c-30=0 | 3 | 6 | 23 | W |
z^2-10z-144=0 | 26 | 8 | 18 | R |
i^2-225=0 | 9 | 15 | 20 | T |
n^2-6n-135=0 | 14 | 9 | 5 | E |
s^2-6s-280=0 | 19 | 14 | 5 | E |
h^2+6h-475=0 | 8 | 25 | 9 | I |
The last step just requires sorting the list into A-Z order by the Variable Letter.
| Var | Equation | Shifted by Root | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
A | a^2-5a-234=0 | 14 | N |
B | b^2-10b-299=0 | 15 | O |
C | c^2+c-30=0 | 23 | W |
D | d^2-14d-275=0 | 19 | S |
E | e^2+5e-50=0 | 21 | U |
F | f^2-f-20=0 | 2 | B |
G | g^2+5g-300=0 | 13 | M |
H | h^2+6h-475=0 | 9 | I |
I | i^2-225=0 | 20 | T |
J | j^2-11j-180=0 | 1 | A |
K | k^2+16k-161=0 | 14 | N |
L | l^2-361=0 | 19 | S |
M | m^2-6m-352+0 | 23 | W |
N | n^2-6n-135=0 | 5 | E |
O | o^2+22o-23=0 | 18 | R |
P | p^2-5p-126=0 | 7 | G |
Q | q^2+12q-325=0 | 18 | R |
R | r^2+4r-117=0 | 5 | E |
S | s^2-6s-280=0 | 5 | E |
T | t^2-8t-84=0 | 14 | N |
U | u^2-4=0 | 19 | S |
V | v^2-8v-308=0 | 8 | H |
W | w^2-8w-308=0 | 9 | I |
X | x^2-5x-150=0 | 14 | N |
Y | y^2+19y-20=0 | 5 | E |
Z | z^2-10z-144=0 | 18 | R |
Reading the previously converted values gives the message NOW SUBMIT ANSWER GREEN SHINER.
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