Two-Button Calculator
A calculator, initially displaying 0, has two buttons: + adds one to the number on display; x multiplies number on display by ten. What is the least number of button presses needed to show 5034?
How do you know that was the fewest number of operations?
Today's Puzzle Explained with #explodingdots: A calculator, initially displaying 0, has two buttons: + adds one to the number on display; x multiplies number on display by ten. What is the least number of button presses needed to show 5034? How do you know least? @GlobalMathProj pic.twitter.com/cpmWV81Prm
— James Tanton (@jamestanton) October 12, 2020