39. Magic Squares in a spreadsheet

Spreadsheets are so much more than graphs. Using formula and calculations really fosters those problem solving skills and stimulates thinking.
The formula provides the user with feedback as the numbers are added together. In this example I've coloured the answer squares and the formula squares, one and the same, yellow. In this example you can see the wee sweetheart has entered numbers which total 17, too high.

The formula
=sum(B3..B5)

Simply you have asked the computer to add the numbers in cells B 3, 4 and 5 and pop you answer in the answer cell

The formula for the diagonal cells is
=sum(B3+C4+D5)

When using a magic square you have to get the numbers to total to 15, as you add across each of the 3 rows, and the 3 columns and diagonally. You place the numbers 1 - 9 in any of the squares, remembering you can only use each number once and the total in the set of squares must equal 15.
Bao was looking rather triumphant, he managed to solve the magic square puzzle every quickly. great problem solving Bao.