I get the impression that most puzzle cachers are more mathematically talented than myself. I kind of enjoyed algebra at school, but I’ve gone through most of my adult life wondering if I would ever have reason to use what I studied in those maths classes long ago. Thankfully we all have geocaching to make sure our maths muscles get a bit of exercise.
Since the information you’re looking for with puzzle caches is nearly always numbers, many caches require some manipulation of numbers. But then there are also other caches which cannot be solved without some more detailed general maths knowledge. These caches could involve more complicated sums or they could require you to brush up on your trigonometry, calculus, averages and probabilities.
For straightforward sums you should be able to work them out using pen and paper, (or calculator), but for more complex equations you need to identify what you need to do and then how you need to do it. Check the cache title and listing information for clues about what type of maths you will need to perform. Also, if the information is presented in a story format make sure you read the instructions carefully.
Some local caches which require maths skills include ChrissA33’s Taipei River Biking Mystery/Multi (GC6M1K6), Haima’s Long-tail Dragon (GC1AM69), Rudychung’s 10/10/10 - Stargazing at Taipei Riverbank (GC2GHYE) and teng hang’s pu tou shan (GC3RZ6E).
PUZZLE GYM SERIES
MATHS MYSTERIES
PYTHAGORAS
I bet you thought you'd never use all those things you had to memorise in Maths class. Well luckily it wasn't a total waste of your time! This cache is quite straightforward as long as you can dust off that part of your brain you use to store long-neglected knowledge. To make this simpler, I've conveniently ignored the fact that GPS notations are not the same as distance, so you should do the same. Use my back-of-the-envelope scribbles to lead you in the right direction.
Cache is camouflaged in an outer container for longevity. There may be water in the outer container so please make sure to seal the inner container and bag carefully.
