Episode 10 Beat the Brain

Hello, Brain here.

Soon, today's team will dig deep into their grey matter

to try to beat me.

Here's a couple of games for you to try at home.

What's the difference in the value?

And now try this one...

A clock is reflected in a mirror.

What's the real time?

Do you want to know the answers?

Well, I'll give them to you at the end of the show.

Meanwhile, let's see if our four contestants

have the wits and skill to Beat The Brain.

APPLAUSE

Here's my toughest question of the day,

is anyone in Britain more popular than your host, John Craven?

Well, thank you very much indeed and welcome to Beat The Brain.

Now, over the next half-hour,

you'll have the chance to improve your mental agility

by taking on the fiendish challenges set today by our resident brain.

Let's meet the Baroness of Bafflement.

How are you today, Brain?

Oh, I'm in a devilish mood, Baron John of Craven -

devilish, I tell ye!

Wow. Well, there's a warning for our team.

Let's meet them now. Please introduce yourselves.

I'm Dave and I'm a mathematician and a maths teacher.

I'm Mairi and I'm a maths PhD student.

I'm Uwe and I'm a professor of mathematics.

I'm Katie, I'm the team captain and I'm a mathematician.

APPLAUSE

Well, it doesn't take an Einstein to work out

that the common connection here is mathematics

and, Katie, as the team captain,

have you chosen a name for your team?

Yeah, we are Weapons Of Maths Instruction.

Are you going to destroy The Brain, do you think?

No, we're hoping to instruct The Brain.

Do you all work together?

Yeah, we work at the Open University in the maths and stats department.

The Brain is waiting to take you on. Are you feeling confident?

-Ooh, that's a strong word.

-Yeah!

-Terrified, maybe, particularly after the introduction.

-Yeah.

Well, we'll see how you get on. This is how it works -

the show's Brain is divided in to six zones...

Now, The Brain will select four of those six zones for you to play

and, Katie, as the captain, you must nominate which team member

you think will perform best in each of the zones.

You're playing for time instead of points

with every correct answer adding three seconds to your total,

what we call your Brain Bank.

The more time you build up,

the more chance you have of beating The Brain today in the final

and walking away with the jackpot of £3,000.

So, Weapons Of Maths Instruction, are you ready to play?

-Yep.

-Let's do it.

Let's find out which zone you'll be facing first.

Brain, the zone, please.

Logic. So, Katie.

-David's going to take Logic.

-Why is that?

He's a good, clear, logical thinker,

very good at words, good at word puzzles.

-I've got great faith in him.

-So, that's a good reason, isn't it?

-Come on in, Dave.

-OK, thank you.

-Come and join me.

Is that a good assessment of your talents, do you think?

No, no idea!

Let's see how it goes, shall we?

Yes. How did you get involved in maths in the first place?

Erm, well, I did all kinds of other things

and then I became a maths teacher

and then I loved it so much I did some more maths study

and I carried on and did some more and it just...

-goes on from there, really.

-Well, see how you do...

-OK.

-..in the Logic zone, then.

We'll play two games in the zone.

Both games have three questions worth three seconds each, OK?

-OK.

-So, Brain, what's the first game?

-Hello, Dave.

-Hi.

I hear you sing to your pupils.

I do sometimes, yes, Brain.

Can I hear the Homework Song?

The Homework Song, you really want me to sing the Homework Song?

Yes.

# Homework's due in on Monday

-# Homework is due in on Monday-ah!

-#

Wonderful, Dave.

-Here's your first game.

-Thank you.

Three darts will be thrown.

You must add up the score and subtract it from the total.

-OK.

-You ought to be good at this, Dave.

-Thank you.

-Have a trial run.

-Triple 15...

-That's 45.

12, 19.

45, 57...

67, 78...

78, ooh...

-Take away from...

-423.

423, you're saying. Is that correct?

-Oh...

-425.

Ooh, dear.

I said I was a mathematician, not a calculator.

-Do you want to play this game?

-No.

-Well, I'm afraid you've got no option.

-OK, fair enough.

-You've been nominated so off we go.

-Thanks, Katie.

-Let's see what we can do.

-Here comes the game.

Don't be nervous, Dave.

# I think you'll do well, I think you'll do well. #

You have 45 seconds to answer three questions correctly

but please remember, I can only accept your first answer.

-Every correct answer will add three seconds to your Brain Bank.

-OK.

Your game starts now.

-4, 16...

-20...

-11.

-That's 31...

so that's 500 minus 30

-so that's 470.

-470, you're saying. Are you correct?

-Yes, you are.

-Good.

-On we go, next one.

-16...

-16...

Double 11, 13.

16, double 11 is...

erm...

28...

31, 41...

So subtract 41, that's...

229...

-429!

-429.

419 actually, never mind.

Triple 18, 8, double 13.

54...

60, 70, 78...

-So that's 411...

-Five seconds.

So that's 4... 330!

330.

-331.

-Oh!

-Just one out, there.

Oh, dear.

-Well, what do you think, team?

-I think you did good.

Oh, no, good job and good for taking the first shot. I'm really pleased.

So, let's see what game two has in store, please.

-Here's your second game, Dave.

-Thanks, Brain.

Use the clues to work out the position of a particular animal.

The clues describe the animals from your perspective.

To get your eye in, Dave, here's a trial run.

Bob is on the right of Fluffy...

Fluffy is not on the left of Fancy...

Fancy, where is Fluffy?

So, Fluffy must be on the left...

-Fluffy on the left.

-On the left, you're saying. Fluffy on the left.

Is that right?

Fluffy was in the middle.

-So...

-Got a one in three chance.

-Are we going to play?

-We'll do our best.

OK, let's have the game, please.

You have 45 seconds to answer three questions correctly

but please remember, I can only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

Daisy is on the right of Lis,

Daisy is on the left of Maisy

so Maisy must be on the right.

On the right, you're saying, Maisy. Is that right?

Yes, it is correct. Next one, please.

Ethel is on the left of Ruth,

Ruth is not right of Gretchen.

Ethel must be on the left.

On the left, you're saying, Ethel.

Yes, you are correct. One more to go.

Dewey is not left of Louis so Dewey is right of Louis,

Louis is right of Huey

-so Louis is in the middle.

-In the middle, you're saying.

-Well done, yes, three out of three there.

-Oh!

A good score for the maths man.

-Right, you had eight seconds left as well.

-Good.

So, what did you think of that, Brain?

-Well done, Dave, you redeemed yourself.

-Thank you, Brain.

You've added 12 seconds in that zone

that means Weapons Of Maths Instruction

have 12 seconds in their Brain Bank.

APPLAUSE

-A very good start, Dave.

-Thank you, John.

-I hope you enjoyed playing.

-That was great.

-Please rejoin your team.

It's time to find out now which is the next zone

and who is going to be taking it on so, Brain, the zone, please.

Orientation, so, Katie...

OK, this one's for Mairi.

She has a lot of shape and space in her work

so we think she's going to do well.

Right, OK. Come and join me, Mairi.

Nice to see you and you're a student?

I am, I'm a PhD student.

Uh-huh, and I hear that you're interested in the history of maths?

Well, I did my masters in history of maths

and I've always had an interest in it really.

Nowadays, I use it in my teaching where I can.

So, that should help you, then, in the Orientation zone?

-Oh, we'll see.

-Well, so you would hope.

-Yeah.

Let's find out what The Brain has for you

by revealing the first game in the Orientation zone.

-Hello, Mairi.

-Hi.

Here's your first game.

OK.

Mairi, it's simple. What is the real time?

To give you some practice, have a trial run.

So, what's the real time there? That's the mirror image on the left.

Erm...

-Quarter past six.

-Quarter past six, let's see if you're correct

and indeed you are. Yes, yes. You got the right idea.

-Are you happy to play the game?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Yeah?

Well, Brain, we're ready for you.

Remember, you have a maximum of 45 seconds to answer three questions

but please remember, I can only accept your first answer.

-Your game starts now.

-OK...

What's the real time?

-Ten past two.

-Ten past two, you're saying,

-yes, you're correct.

-Yes.

-Yes, next one please.

Five to six.

Five to six, you're saying.

Yes, correct, well done.

-25 seconds left.

-Five to 12.

Five to 12...

and that's correct as well. That was in pretty quick time.

You had 23 seconds left there.

You're obviously a good clock-watcher.

-So, do you want a go on the next game?

-Yep, yeah.

-Here we go.

Well done, Mairi, you're heading in the right direction.

Here's your second game.

Oh...

Follow the car's journey and identify in which direction it ends up facing.

-OK.

-Have a trial run.

-Turn right...

-East...

U-turn...

turn right.

-Which direction now are they facing?

-Erm...

East, west...

-North?

-North again, you're saying.

-Yes, that is correct.

-Oh, wow.

-Yes.

-A bit of luck there.

It's not the kind of sat nav you might expect.

-There's no voice telling you where to go next...

-No.

..you have to work it out all yourself so, are you ready?

-Yeah.

-Right, let's play it again.

Please remember, I can only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

-U-turn...

-South...

Turn left...

turn left.

-North.

-North again.

North, you're correct.

Two more to go.

-Turn right...

-North, east...

-Turn right...

-South...

-U-turn...

-North...

Turn right.

-Which direction?

-East, I think.

-East, you're saying.

-Yes, that's correct, yeah.

-Yes!

-One more to go.

North...

-Turn left...

-West...

-U-turn...

-East...

Turn left...

Turn left.

-What do you think?

-West.

That is correct, Mairi. Well done!

You got maximum points in that zone.

-Brain, how about that?

-Full house.

You've upset me, Mairi.

Give me your necklace

You added 18 seconds in that zone.

This means in total,

Weapons Of Maths Instruction have 30 seconds in their Brain Bank.

Two zones down, two to go and what about you at home?

Have you done better or worse than our team here?

Well, keep at it because the more you play, the better you'll get.

Right, let's find out which zone is next and who is going to take it on.

Brain, the zone, please.

Observation, Katie, who are you going to nominate for that?

OK, well, it's between me and Uwe

and I don't think either of those like this one very much

-but I'll take this one on the chin, Uwe, OK?

-Thank you.

That means you're left with whatever's next.

Come and join me, Katie.

-Hello.

-Very nice to see you.

Do you actually teach or are you in an administrative position?

It's mostly administrative and teaching at a distance

so I prepare the work that people do and I supervise the tutors.

And do you assess their performances, then?

I assess the performances of the tutors and students as well, yeah.

Cos The Brain is going to be assessing your performance now.

Get ready and don't forget,

there's another 18 precious seconds on offer in this zone,

that's three seconds for every correct answer.

Brain, please reveal the first game Katie will be playing.

-Hello, Captain Katie.

-Hello, Brain.

You look a little dewy-eyed.

Tell me, who was your first crush?

Oh, it's funny you should say that, Brain, but as it happens,

I'm sitting next to my first crush, John Craven.

Never!

-Really?

-All that authority, all those nice jumpers, yeah.

Oh, in those Newsround days, eh?

Well, Katie, hands off the cloth, moth, he's mine.

Really? Are you aiming for a cerebral relationship?

Oh, cerebral, don't go anywhere near, darling.

Here's your first game.

Count the number of missing bricks.

You can warm up with a trial run.

How many bricks have been knocked out?

1, 2, 3, 4...

5, 6, 7, 8...

9, 10, 11, 12...

-13?

-13 missing bricks, you reckon.

-I think it's 13.

Are you correct, Katie?

Yes, you are. A bit of quick adding up there, fingers.

Fingers, it's all done with fingers.

No calculators here. Right, off we go, then.

-Are you ready to play?

-Yep.

Captain Katie, you have 45 seconds to answer three questions correctly.

Please remember, I can only accept your first answer.

For every correct answer,

you will have three seconds added to your Brain Bank.

The game starts now.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12...

13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19...

20...

-OK, I'm going to go with 21.

-Is that correct?

No, it's not. Next one, please.

6, 7, 8, 9...

Hurry, hurry.

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16...

17, 18, 19, 20, 21...

-Oh...

-How many?

-22, 22?

-22.

-I'm not sure.

-20.

-Oh, damn it, sorry.

Ten seconds to go so hurry up with this one.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7...

8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15...

-Go for it quickly, guess, guess, guess.

-20!

20, you're saying.

Yes!

-On the button there.

-Good guessing.

-A very good guess, wasn't it?

Now and again, even you mathematicians have to guess,

-don't you?

-Oh, plenty.

Guess and check, guess and check that's what I say.

So, let's see what's in store for game two.

Here's your second game, Katie.

Oh, dear. Oh...

What's the difference in value between the two totals?

-Have a trial run.

-Have a try, yeah.

Do you count you change?

OK, so, the only coin which is different is the 10 and the 20

so there's 10p difference.

10p difference.

Yeah, you obviously do count your change carefully.

So, you were fine on that test run.

-Ready to play for real?

-Yep, let's go. Okey doke.

You have 45 seconds to answer three questions correctly

but please remember, I can only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

OK, there's a £2 and a £1 different

and everything else is the same so £1.

£1, you're saying.

You're correct. Next one, please.

OK, there's a 50p which is a 1p

and a 20p which is 2p so...

oh, they're all jumbled up. That's a bit harder.

Erm, £2.25...

-£3,

-3... 25 seconds left.

£3.32...

-You can pass.

-Pass.

-5p.

-Damn, sorry, they were rearranged.

-Next one.

OK, we've got £2, two 50s

and...

£3 so we've got...

4, 5, 71 on the right

and we've got 4, 5...

-You've got five seconds.

-..6, 21 on the thing so is it 50p?

Guess!

50p, it is.

-Yeah, well done. That wasn't a guess, was it?

-Erm...

-That was good calculation.

-It was an educated guess.

With one second left. Just in time there, Katie.

What do you think, Brain?

I like you, Katie. You're a strong woman.

As a treat, I'll let you touch John's shoulder.

-No, how could I?

-That's enough, that's enough!

I know he's yours.

Katie, you added nine seconds in that zone. This means in total,

Weapons Of Maths Instruction have 39 seconds in their Brain Bank.

-Well, that is a pretty good time.

-Thank you.

-Well done, Katie.

-OK, thanks, John.

-Thank you very much. Lovely to meet you.

If you rejoin the team.

Uwe, you're our final player so why don't you come and join me

and we'll find out which one of the three remaining zones you'll be playing.

APPLAUSE

How did you end up at the Open University?

Well, I studied physics in Germany

and then I went on several postdoctoral positions

for a couple of years in Australia

and a few years in the Netherlands and then in Germany

and eventually I applied for a permanent position

and I got one in Milton Keynes.

-How long have you been in Milton Keynes, then?

-It's 15 years now.

Right. Well, by my reckoning,

you've got Language, Memory and Multi-tasking left in the zones.

-Oh, dear.

-Which of those would you prefer?

Language, I quite like, erm...

but Multi-tasking, maybe. Maybe those two.

Right, well, let's see what she's chosen.

Brain, could we have the zone, please?

-Oh.

-Multi-tasking.

Brain, please, could we have the first game

that Uwe is going to be playing.

-Hello, Uwe.

-Hello.

Here's your first game.

Ooh, dear.

When the number of sheep matches the number I say,

add that number to the total.

Uwe, have yourself a trial run.

1, 2...

4... 4...

4... 1...

5... 2...

1... 6...

4... 10...

3, 2.

10.

10 , you're saying. Let's see if that is correct.

It is indeed. No problems with that one.

Well, we'll see.

-But now we've got to do it for real.

-Now comes the real zone.

Off we go.

Please remember, I can only accept your first answer.

Your game starts now.

3, 4...

1, 2...

1, 4...

1, 2...

4, 2.

-So, what was the total there?

-11.

-11, you think.

Is that right?

-Yes, indeed. Yeah, full marks so far.

-Thank you.

Next one, please.

2, 1...

1, 2...

1, 2...

4, 3...

3, 4.

-I got

-10. You got ten there, were you correct?

Indeed, you were so one more to play.

1, 2...

3, 2...

4, 2...

3, 2...

4, 1.

-I got 13.

-13. Let's see if that is right,

-yeah, well done.

-Looks very easy.

That really was mental judging and you found that easy.

No, I didn't find that easy.

-It seemed to me as though you are finding it easy.

-Yeah, well...

-Full house so far, Professor.

-Oh, thank you.

Here's your second game.

Count the named object on the left, add the numbers on the right.

-Here's a trial run to help you get a feel of the game.

-Oh, dear, OK.

Count the carrots and add the numbers.

-So, how did you do?

-Erm... 3 carrots and...

-12?

-3, 12, you're saying.

3 and 12, yes, absolutely right.

Off we go.

Your game starts now.

Count the ice creams and add the numbers.

-So, what did you make there?

-4 and 9.

4 ice creams and 9, is that correct?

It is, indeed. Next one.

Count the rubber ducks and add the numbers.

-How many rubber ducks?

-3, 3 rubber ducks...

-3 rubber ducks.

-..and 13, 14...

-22.

-3 and 22.

Is that correct? 3 and 22,

-yes, it is.

-Ooh.

Final one coming up.

Count the bananas and add the numbers.

-I got 4 bananas and 20.

-4 and 20. Let's have a look.

-Absolutely, well done. Well, you did brilliantly...

-Thank you.

..brilliantly in that zone because you got maximum points.

So, our professor of mathematics really earned his stripes on that one.

What do you think, Brain?

-Very well done, Professor. You're my kind of man.

-Thank you.

You added 18 seconds in that zone.

This means, Weapons Of Maths Instruction,

you have finished with a grand total of 57 seconds in your Brain Bank.

So, a very happy team now and we've finished the individual zones.

It's time for the team to try to Beat The Brain one last time

and take home some serious cash in today's final.

Well, Weapons Of Maths Instruction, you've been playing for time.

Now you're playing for money.

You need to get eight questions right - that's two questions each -

within the 57 seconds that you've added to The Brain Bank.

If you do that, you'll win our jackpot of £3,000.

If you fail to get eight right within that time, all is not lost.

The Brain has allocated another two minutes for you

to get the answers that you need.

However, as the time counts down, so does the money

and if the clock reaches zero, you win nothing.

Now, Katie, as team captain,

you've chosen the order in which the team are going to play.

-Is that potluck or mathematical calculation?

-It was a calculation.

Uwe chivalrously agreed to go first,

Mairi's there to get things rocking

and David chivalrously agreed to go last

and they're just going to tolerate me.

-Right, so, are you ready to play?

-Yes.

-Yes.

Right, OK, well, it's time now to get serious.

Let's start today's final. Over to you, Brain.

You will only face questions from the games you've already seen today

but for every question in the final, I will only accept your first answer.

Beat me, if you can.

Well, that's the challenge and as always,

we start off with the player on the left. That's you, Uwe.

Once I've had two correct answers from you,

we move on down the line, OK?

-Ready to play?

-Yes.

-Good luck, everybody.

Let's start the game.

Double 16, 15, 7.

447.

Yes.

-What's the right time?

-Erm...

-Ten past seven.

-Correct. Mairi.

Count the missing bricks.

13.

Correct.

Count the bananas and add the numbers.

Erm, 2 bananas and 9.

No.

Turn left...

turn right...

turn left.

West.

Yes. Katie.

Jingles is to the right of Tweetie,

Jingles is left of Chipper, where is Chipper?

Chipper is right of Tweetie but left of Chipper, where's Chipper?

Erm... On the right.

-What's the difference?

-OK, what's different?

We've just got a 5p for a 20p, 15p.

Dave.

3, 4...

2, 3...

2.

6.

No.

11, double 13, 18.

6, 44...

44...

457.

Incorrect.

What's the right time?

Five past one.

Correct.

What's the difference?

There's a 10 instead of a 1 so 9p.

Stop the clock.

APPLAUSE

So, well done.

With one minute 12 seconds left, eight correct answers,

you've scored £1,800.

Ah, but what's that divided by four? Quickly.

450.

-Ooh, very good.

-That was quick.

Katie, your team did very well.

Yeah, I'm really impressed with them all. I'm so glad they're on my side.

There were a couple of stumbling blocks there in the last round

but you managed to get all eight correct in a pretty good time.

Congratulations.

Brain, over to you.

Begrudgingly, I say well done, Weapons Of Maths Instruction.

In true mathematical tradition, I've been left with "Pi" on my face.

Well, thank you as well at home for watching today.

I hope you enjoyed playing along.

For now, though, it's goodbye from Weapons Of Maths Instruction...

-Bye!

-Goodbye!

..from The Brain...

Goodbye.

..and from me, see you again next time.

Hey, before you go, how did you do

with those two questions I gave you at the start of the show?

Here are the answers...

What's the difference in the value?

The answer is...

And the second game?

A clock is reflected in the mirror.

What's the real time?

The answer is...

7:55.

Did you beat me?

Join us next time when once again you'll be able to exercise your mind

on Beat The Brain.