updated 1/4/1
If you love music trivia, try this thing on for size! It's one big math problem.
I made this double-spaced, so when you print it you'll have room for the calculations. Use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to come up with the answer to this musical math test.
Thanks to Jami from Agawam, Massachusetts for correcting the wording of the Proclaimers clue.
To fill in all the numbers below, you just need a lot of worthless knowledge about popular music, songs, bands and lyrics from the 1950's through the 1990's. And of course you need to know a little bit about math. And you just might need a Zip code directory as well.
This was originally posted and e-mailed on December 15, 1998. More than two years later,
on January 3, 2001, The Acme Girls were the first ones to submit the correct answer!
All of the songs referred to in this test were top 40 hits in the US. Hint: if you need to use more than two decimal places, try again.
Just giving the correct answer at the bottom isn't good enough. I need to know the number(s) you used to get there! (That is, fill in the blanks necessary at the left to come up with the correct total at the bottom).
Want more hints? Just ask! Now that somebody's gotten the right answer, I'll be glad to give you a hint on any of the clues below. Now grab your calculator and get going!
______Write down the quantity of Luftballoons
+______Add the number of pills that make you larger, according to Grace
/______Divide by Starr's miles to go
+______Add the loneliest number
+______Add the number of tears you're gonna cry, cry , cry, cry, cry
-______Subtract the dollar amount of tip that Sue gave to Harry after he gave her a ride
+______Add the portion of a man Paul suddenly isn't (but used to be yesterday)
-______Subtract the number of nervous breakdowns prior to the one that was a hit song
/______Divide by the highway number where you get your kicks
+______Add the first digit of the zip code of the Ad Libs' boy
x______Multiply by Mathis's cardinal number of never
x______Multiply by the number of years the Grass Roots would wait to have you near me
-______Subtract the age Setzer says the sexy one is
+______Add the quantity of the Crests' candles
+______Add the number of eyes the purple people eater has
/______Divide by the size, in feet, of the biggest bunch of bananas on Harry's boat
x______Multiply by Keith's temperature, rounded to the nearest whole integer
/______Divide by the number of ways to leave your lover
x______Multiply by the number of James Ingram's ways
/______Divide by the number strong at Yasgur's farm
-______Subtract the number of the Searchers' potion
+______Add the number of hours past midnight that Don and Phil woke up their date
-______Subtract the sum of the numbers in the parenthetical title of Sheena's train song
+______Add the number of the gear in which the Playmates' Nash was stuck
-______Subtract the fifth digit in the number for Soulsville, USA
x______Multiply by the approx. seating capacity of the Chrysler that's as big as a whale
/______Divide by the number of lovers Mary Wells has
-______Subtract the year man has taken everything this old earth can give, and ain't put back nothing
x______Multiply by the number of different kinds of food mentioned in a the title of the Jay & the Techniques hit
-______Subtract the number made up of the last four digits of Jenny's phone number
-______Subtract the distance, in miles, a Proclaimer would walk, according to the song's title
-______Subtract the number of hours past noon when the Vogues' whistle blows
-______Subtract the number of hours past twelve that Bill Haley is going to have some fun
/______Divide by the daily number of hours Dolly takes to make a living
/______Divide by the number of days a week George, Richard, James and John need your love, babe
x______Multiply by the Citizens Band channel Rubber Duck used to talk with Pigpen
-______Subtract the number of the inning with two down and nobody on, according to Phil Rizzuto
+______Add the year that was a very special time for Frankie (the whole year, from the song title, not just the two digits he sings).
-______Subtract the number of tricks Paul Simon's pony can do
+______Add the number in the name of the bridge that makes a Bizarre band feel groovy
-______Subtract the first number mentioned in Becker & Fagen's only hit with a number in the title
-______Subtract the year the artist known as Prince is going to act like it is, when he parties tonight
+______Add the sum of the numbers in the title of the song in which everybody must get stoned
/______Divide by the day of the month it feels like when we drive it home with one headlight
/______Divide by the "part" of Another Brick in the Wall that was a hit
-______Subtract the speed Sammy can't drive
+______Add the cost, in cents, of one of Roger Miller's rooms
+______Add the number of "Na"'s before three "hey"'s and kissing him goodbye
-______Subtract the number of times a lady, according to Lionel
-______Subtract the highest number in Major Tom's countdown
x______Multiply by the number Cy Curnin was saved by
Give up? Here's the answer, as submitted by The Acme Girls.