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It's Organic Mystery Cache

Difficulty:
3.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

A short distance off a well-used trail.

The above posted coordinates will get you to within 1.5 km of the actual cache position. To narrow it down further, you will have to answer the following questions, and calculate the location. Good luck!

  1. How many carbon atoms are there in one molecule of isobutane? (Answer = m)
  2. How many structural isomers are there for the alkane of formula C5H12? (Answer = n)
  3. How many hydrogen atoms are there in one benzene molecule? (Answer = p)
  4. Which of the following formulas could be that of a carboxylic acid?

    (a) C4H8O (b) C4H8O2 (c) C4H8 (d) C4H9N

    Count (a) = 1 (b) = 2 (c) = 3 (d) = 4 (Answer = q)
  5. How many isomeric dichlorotoluenes are there? (Note that all isomers have a methyl group!) (Answer = r)
  6. A compound of formula C5H10O2 gives a very strong absoption near 1740 cm-1 in the infrared spectrum. To which class of compounds does it belong?

    (a) ether (b) ketone (c) carboxylic acid (d) ester

    Count (a) = 1 (b) = 2 (c) = 3 (d) = 4 (Answer = s)
The actual cache coordinates are of the form N 44 AB.CDE W 063 FG.HIJ where:
A = n
B = p + r/2
C = m
D = (2n + q)/2
E = (q + r)/2
F = p/2
G = n + p
H = s
I = (p + r)/3
J = m + 2q

So grab your Morrison & Boyd and look it up!! And don't forget to have fun!



Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Qrsvavgryl jvagre-sevraqyl.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)