Question

Have to make an equation using the numbers 2,3,6,8 and the symbols +,-, and x. Must equal 17 and can't use numbers twice. I can come up with an equation but had to use the 3 twice.

Answer 1

17 is odd.

1) If you add, subtract, or multiply 2 even numbers, the result will be even.

2) If you multiple an even and a odd number, the result is even.

So 3 is going to be key, being the only odd number.

You know that you cannot MULTIPLY 3 by any of the numbers, because that would produce an even number; and with only even numbers remaining, you could not get an odd number.

Therefore, 3 is going to have to be added to, or subtracted from, an even number, resulting in 17. So either:

14 + 3 = 17
or
20 - 3 = 17

Our task is now easier. Now we have only 3 numbers 2, 6, 8 remaining, and they are all even; and we need to get an even number from them.

With a few tries, we can see that:
2 x 6 + 8 = 20

So the final is:

2 x 6 + 8 - 3 = 17

Answer 2

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