This little problem- well, it is a PROBLEM!!! Everything I was ever taught about math says the first two equations are just wrong (11 x 11 does NOT equal 4). So what is the answer..??? After thinking about it for awhile, I came up with a POSSIBILITY, but not a CERTAINTY!!! Life is like that sometimes; the best you can do is guess. But, a mental challenge is a good thing. If this is true, then how about a Spiritual Challenge...???
Mark, Chapter 12 (WEB)
28 One of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32 The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, 33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’
In this selected passage, there are two questions, one of human and one of divine origin. Like the problem in the picture, both are difficult. The question concerning commandments required insight as to the purpose of Law and Jesus' question requires understanding of the Law giver. I like to put them together, for Jesus is the embodiment of the merger of Law and the Law GIVER. Therefore, when one understands them together, the LAW is completed in the person-hood of Jesus, because HE is GOD!!! TRULY love JESUS and do what you like is a concept worth exploring!!!!
Now, about that problem...
The solution that makes sense to me is... that the signs are wrong.
The First should be all addition 1+1+1+1=4
The Second should be multiplication 2 x 2 x 2 x 2=16
The Last on should be squared, plus addition 9 + 9 + 9 + 9=36
It seems to me that the three problems are one but one, and its nature is that of progression: addition, then multiplication and then squaring with addition.
Like I said, this is a guess. How did I come up with this? Well, what do Genius' do- they think outside the box, and I did!!! I know, this is probably the WRONG answer, but sometimes you just have to go for it.
I would love to hear your ideas on this things!!!