A number puzzle that might send you insane

[clop]

Good afternoon.

Here's a nice, simple-looking number puzzle I came across recently.


Make 24 using the numbers 1, 4, 5 and 6.

Each number must be used exactly once.

The allowed operations are add, subtract, multiply and divide.

You cannot use powers.

You cannot concatenate numbers (i.e. you can't use 4 and 5 to make 45).

You can use brackets.


There are two solutions, but they are maddeningly difficult to find. :wall:

Good luck,

clop

[montebianco]

If there is any kind of "spoiler" feature on this board, I can't find it - is there one?

[montebianco]

OK, I posted the answer here (http://www.illuminati-r-us.com/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=1882), at another forum, because I know how to use the spoiler feature there. If there is one here, I don't know how to use it. . .

[clop]

Wow wicked, did you work them both out yourself?

clop

[montebianco]

Wow wicked, did you work them both out yourself?

clop

Yes, although the approach was a lot closer to brute force than I would like to admit :)