The Y Trick

This is a strategy I discovered when I did one of the Otago tests.

What you do is everytime you place 3 consecutive numbers on the ends of the sides, you move in towards the middle by one. You then repeat.

This only works when you use consecutive numbers, and when the number of bubbles/blocks on each side (not including the middle for each side) is a multiple of 3.

First you place the first number on the end of a side. Nest you put number 2 & 3 on the other two sides. If you went clockwise (as I did in the diagram above), you have to continue going in the same direction.

After that, you put Number 4 into the bubble closest to the end on the same line as Number 3. Put Number 5 in the bubble closest to the end on the same line as Number 1. Do the same thing to the Number 6 and place it on the same line as the Number 2. (You will notice you are still going clockwise).

Now repeat this for the Numbers 7, 8, & 9. Once you have put the numbers in, you will be lift with the middle bubble. That is where the biggest number, Number 10, goes.

At the end when you add up the numbers on each side, you should come out with the same total for each side.

This works for any group of consecutive numbers.

discovered by Janice