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Product Sudoku

Age 11 to 16
Challenge Level Yellow starYellow star
Secondary curriculum
  • Problem
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 Product Sudoku printable worksheet
 Product Sudoku printable worksheet for recording your journey
 Product Sudoku printable worksheet to see a possible journey

By Henry Kwok

 

 

Sudoku Product Puzzle

 

 

Rules of Product Sudoku

Like a conventional Sudoku, this Product Sudoku has two basic rules:
1. Each column, row and $3 \times 3$ subgrid must have the numbers 1 to 9.
2. No column, row or subgrid can have two cells with the same number.

The puzzle can be solved with the help of the numbers in the top parts of certain cells. These numbers are the products of the digits in all the cells horizontally and vertically adjacent to the cell.

 

 

 

A Short Demonstration

 

 

The cell in the top left corner of this Sudoku contains the number 20. 20 is the product of the digits in the two adjacent cells, which therefore must contain the digits 4 and 5. The 5 cannot go in the cell below the top left hand corner because 5 is not a factor of 96 (the product shown in the third cell down on the left hand side of the puzzle). Therefore 5 must be entered into the cell to the right of the cell containing 20 and 4 in the cell below.

 

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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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