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24 Solver

Use all four numbers, once each, with add, subtract, multiply and divide to make 24. Stuck? Type the numbers in to see every different way to do it, with the working shown.

Fancy a puzzle instead?

Use numbers up to 13

Answers

Type four numbers and press Solve

You'll see every different way to reach the target, simplest-looking first, and each one can show its working step by step. Some sets of numbers can't make 24 at all; the solver will tell you that too.

Warm up with a hard one: 4, 4, 10 and 10. There is exactly one way.

How to play 24

Four numbers

Deal four cards, roll four dice or write four numbers on the board.

Use each one once

Add, subtract, multiply and divide, with brackets wherever you like. Every number must be used, and only once.

Make 24

First to find a way explains how they did it. Then look for a different way.

Playing with cards

Take out the picture cards for a gentler game, or keep them in with jack as 11, queen as 12 and king as 13. Aces are 1. If nobody can find a way, check here before you give up: some sets really are impossible.

How the answers are counted

The same calculation written a different way counts once, so 8 × 3 and 3 × 8, or 8 + 3 − 2 and 8 − 2 + 3, show as one answer. Multiplying by 1 and dividing by 1 count as different answers. No step goes below zero, and that loses nothing: any answer that uses a negative number has a twin that doesn't. With Whole numbers, every step has to give a whole number. Switch to Fractions too for answers like 8 ÷ (3 − 8 ÷ 3), where 8 ÷ 3 is a step on the way.