Can you find an expression for 2008 which uses all
the digits 1 to 9?
If you can't, how close to 2008 can you get?

Can you make last year (2007) or next year (2009) ?
=::=::=::=
[Teacher: The numbers and signs above can be dragged into different positions to help with this challenge]
Answers
Last Year: 2007 = 9 x 8 x 7 x 4 - 6 - 5 + 3 - 2 + 1
This Year: 2008 = 2156 - 98 - 47 - 3
Next Year: 2009 = 2134 - 56- 78 + 9
Can you find any more solutions?
If you can, please let us know.
Click here to send us
your solution.
Starter of The Day Menu | Transum Software
"98x7x3+5(4+6)-2+1" Nathan Falconer, Larbert High School
"1987+6+3+4+2+5=2007" Rebecca Moon, Gilberd School
"With Todays problem, I found Another answer, Emma Fessey, Bourke Walgett School Of Distance Education
"2008: 9x6x8x5-142-7-3" Oliver Richards, Lloyd Street School
"Solution to 2007 Kate and Catherine, Fulneck School
"98 x 21 - 54 + 3 + 6 - 7 = 2006" Garry Campbell, Lochend Community High School
"1987+6+4+2+3+5 = 2007 Amy Blake and Lauren Hill, St Philomena's School
"2007 = 924 x 3 - 751 - 6 - 8" Wills Goulding, Bridgewater School Berkhamsted
"1968 + 32 = 2000 Eva and Lauren , Richard Coates MIDDLE School, Northumberland
"2007 = 9x8x7x4-(5x2)+(6/3-1) Class 9L3 (Mrs Ward), Prestatyn High School, Princes Avenue, Prestatyn, Denbighshire LL19 8RS
"1985 +3+7+4+6+2=2007" Peter Kane, British International School Jakarta
"1987+56-34-2=2007" Shai Simpson, Lydd Primary School
"(8x9)x7=504 Niall Gordon, Lydd Primary School
"(8x9)x3 Holly Flood, Lydd Primary School
"2007 = 87 x 23 + 56 - 49 - 1" Emily Green , Bridgewater School Berkhamsted
"Solution to the total of 2007 is: 8YGW, Ysgol Dyffryn Taf
"9x8x7x4+3-6-5-2+1=2007" Shea Durrant Year 9, Methwold High School Norfolk
"(213x9)+ (8x7)+(5x6)+4 =2007" Andrew Harris Year 9, Methwold High School Norfolk
"I've got one for each year! Annabel Vaile (8A), St Philomena's School
"1987+3+4+6+2+5=2007" Ben Hughes, Bridgewater
"987+3+6+4x2+5+1=2006" Reuben Frankel, Bridgewater
"9 x 8 x 7 x 4 - 5 + 3 - 6 + 1 - 2 = 2007" Amy Simon & Mallery Elkins, Bournemouth School For Girls 8P
"5 x 2 x 3 x 67 - 8 + 9 - 4 x 1" Emma Kirby and Helena Keep, BSG
"1987+23+6-5-4=2007 " Sean Wong , Beacon Community College, Crowborough, Sussex
"675x3-9-8+2+1-4=2007" Claudia Lavis, Beacon Community College, Crowborough, Sussex
"2008: 2vz, Stromness Academy
"To get 2008 Dan Lockey, King Arthur's School
"9*8*7*4-3*2-1-6+5" David Adams, John Paul Academy
"25 x 9 x 7 + 431 + 8 - 6" Kirsty Miller, Airdrie Academy
"51x39 +2+6+7+8-4=2008" Matt Lloyd, New Zealand
"(8*9*7*4)-(3*5)+6+2-1 = 2008 Ross Roberton, Marten and DJ, NIST, Bangkok, Thailand
"987*2+34+6-5-1" Sam Conway, St Peters
"1987+34-6-5-2" Lewis Elliott, Hawarden High School
"1985 + (7x3) - 6 + (4x2) = 2008" Owen Mazzarella, Ysgol Rhiwabon, Wrexham
"1987+2x3+4+5+6=2008 Class 9S1, Sandbach High School
"(231x9) - (7x8) - (4+5+6) = 2008 Alisha and Katie Year 6, Farsley Farfield Primary School
"9x8x7x4-6-5-1+3+2 = 2009" Rebekah and Raj, Farsley Farfield Primary School
"2134-56-79+8=2007" Aaron taylor, John Spendluffe Technology College
"45x 23 +978 -6 +1" Alex Bradford, Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School
"9x8x7x4-3x2-6-1+5 Robert Dunn, Mounts Bay School, Penzance
"(98x21)-56+7-4+3 Miss Buxton, Hilden Grange, Tunbridge
"(659x3)+12+8+7-4" Oliver Lee-Aimes, Hilden Grange, Tonbridge
"1976+28+3-4+5=2008" Kayla, Doveton North Primary School, Melbourne, Australia
"6x98x4-352+1+7=2008" Coen, Doveton North Primary School, Melbourne, Australia
"Solution for 2008 Max Easton, Miss Boggs
How did you use this starter? Can you suggest
how teachers could present or develop this resource? Do you have any comments? It is always useful to receive
feedback and helps make this free resource even more useful for Maths teachers anywhere in the world.
Click here to enter your comments.
Keywords: Starter
| Arithmetic
| Calculator
| Place Value
| Problem Solving
Friday, June 01, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
1978+ 5x6 +4 -3 -2
Emma
Year five
B.W.S.O.D.E."
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
1987 + 26 -5 -4 + 3 = 2007!"
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
984 x 2 + 36 + (7-5+1) = 2007"
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
+ 7 = 2007
+ 4 = 2011
- 5 = 2006"
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
We did it another way but we had to use a division. Hope you like it!
Class 9L3 Prestatyn High School (Mrs Ward's class) - James did most of it and we helped him at the end. If you like it, you could always send us some chocolate!"
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
(504x4)+1+3-5-6-2"
Thursday, June 07, 2007
216x5)x2-146-7"
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
9*4*56+2*3-7*1"
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
(4 + 6) x 5 x (1 + 9) x (7 - 3) + (8 - 2) = 2006
(8 + 2) x (4 + 6) x (1 + 9) x (5 - 3) + 7 = 2007
(1 + 9) x (4 + 6) x (7 + 3) x 2 + 8 = 2008 [sorry I didn't use 5]"
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
9x8x7x4=2016
2016+5=2021
2021-6=2015 2x3=6
2015-6=2009
2009-1=2008"
Thursday, March 06, 2008
(5x4)((7+6-3)(8+2))+(9-1)"
Monday, June 02, 2008
Monday, June 02, 2008
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
We did it using single digits and won some M&M's!"
Friday, June 06, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
1987+2+3+4+5+6=2007"
Friday, June 06, 2008
(245x8) + 63 -9 -7 +1 = 2008"
Friday, June 06, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Did this while the rest of my class were at the Royal Cornwall Show"
Friday, June 06, 2008
Solved by one of my Year 4 pupils"
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
34 x 56 + 98 + 7 -2 +1"
Friday, June 27, 2008
Good, achieved the results I required
Satisfactory
Didn't really capture the interest of the students
Not for me! I wouldn't use this type of activity.
This starter has scored a mean of 3.6 out of 5 based on 41 votes.
Previous Day | This starter is for 6 June | Next Day
Visit the Transum
Online Shop
![]()