Foon Ying Kwong Lam
May 31st, 2007
god bless 7-11s and their bright white fluorescent lights that are such a welcome delight in the dead of night when one takes flight to fight the hunger plight. it is always comforting and somewhat exciting to see a familiar sight when you’re far from home, even if it is just an orange, green and red neon signboard. nevertheless, it is a signboard that bears the promise of round-the-clock coffee, diet coke, chocolate and instant noodles whenever the need for such provisions arises; and the knowledge of that is like the awareness that you have a plan B, a best friend, the feeling of kicking off your shoes as you throw yourself down on the couch after a long, long, long day.
i was just falling asleep on my books last night, so i thought i’d run down to the 7-11 to get some coffee and Pocky sticks. because i was too sleepy and grumpy to look for my bra, i pulled on one of Martian’s shirts instead. it smelt so good and so much like him that i wondered why i dont wear his shirts more often. then i wore his Bloomberg flip-flops, and off i went to get me some coffee. the security guard at the entrance, not my favourite one but she’s cutesy as well, asked me if i was going to go get siew yeh. i was going to say, siew yeh and kopi, but i caught myself and said, yes, siew yeh and kah feh.
this late in the night, only stray cats, sleepless taxi drivers and the occasional Pocky-craving insomniac prowl the streets. as i flip-flopped my way down to Robinson Road, i remembered that one night some months ago when we fought and i cried and i went down to Lan Kwai Fong alone. it was a strange night, that one, a strange perplexing night of Mr Wimbledons, ulterior motives facaded by easy drinking games, and conversations about which of the two is the more heartbreaking sex. later that night when i got home, Martian enveloped me in hugs and kisses, and i felt like such an idiot for thinking i would feel better being away from him. sad things and sulkiness just melt away when the person you love is holding you.
the 7-11s here dont make that irritating electronic dingdong! sound every time someone enters or exits. when i walked in, there was a night-shift policeman (ah sir!) reading the newspaper on a stack of somethings, and his gaze immediately landed on my chest sans bra. the young guy by the drinks display did the same, and so i glared at them. a post-party dyed-blonde girl walked in then, and she once-overed me, and then flicked her eyes away boredly as if to say, they’re just tits.
there is one department of Hong Kong’s gastronomical delights that, despite all my time here, i have yet to sample : the infamous 7-11 microwaveable ricebowls! i allowed myself some time to linger upon the tableau of different frozen rice dishes, to give each and every one due deliberation before i made my big momentous decision of What To Eat. finally, i decided on Rice with Pork and Salted Fish, principally because it is a flavour of my childhood, and it brings me back to precious lunchtimes with my mother and brothers on cloudy schoolday afternoons.
cheerful boxes of cookies and snacks were behind me, and i dove into the shelves with my eyes. some experiences are best shared, though, and i was quickly disenchanted. i picked out a box of Pocky and Hello Panda biscuits.
pleased with my 7-11 treasures, i made my way home. back to my SAT textbooks and my sleeping boyfriend, who would be quite pissed off to know that i went out of the house without a bra.
the rice bowl was actually quite nice!
SAT Question of the Day : 1B5A - 6BC = ABC. A, B and C all stand for different numbers from 1 to 9. What is the value of C?
Entry Filed under: Martianisms, Travel
36 Comments Add your own
1. kimwooi | May 31st, 2007 at 9:20 pm
*salute….dare you walk out to the street braless…..don’t be so lazy….later hook up someone’s desire to assault you.
2. pj | May 31st, 2007 at 9:45 pm
c=2! yeay
3. Chang Yang | May 31st, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Haha just trying to solve the interesting SAT question…
Rearranging the equation would give you ABC + 6BC = 1B5A
Looking at the last digit, C + C = A or 1A. So A must be an even digit.
The second last digit, B + B = 5 / 15, and it’s impossible since B + B must be even. Therefore we know that for the last digit, C + C must be 1A and also therefore C must be 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9. From B + B + 1 = 5 / 15, B is either 2 or 7.
Now look at A + 6 = 1B. B must be 2 because it’s impossible for B to be 7 (A + 6 = 17 is impossible). A would be 6, C would be 8. Now try to fit all the digits in to verify: 628 + 628 = 1256. Bingo! :)
4. hitomi | May 31st, 2007 at 10:03 pm
oh my…it is damn hard!!!
5. Charlie | May 31st, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Because C is the national letter of Ulufraglia, and I am wearing a blue sports shirt today…
The answer is fish!
6. JustAnotherTragedy | May 31st, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Mm I love being braless
7. entwined | May 31st, 2007 at 10:38 pm
oh man. i loooovee hong kong. *reminisce wistfully* everything is so convenient and safe and fun. i feel so at home there. :P i wonder if i would change my pov if i wasn’t vacationing but living there instead. :P
btw, won’t his flipflops be too big for you?
8. Jay | June 1st, 2007 at 12:00 am
The question is poorly worded. One needs to assume if they are asking for the digits or if it’s a regular variable problem that just using multiplication. If they are looking for the digit, then Chang up there should be right and C would be 8.
However, if you assume its a multiplication problem (making it much harder when you think about it), then B doesn’t matter and after you work it out, C would be 2.
They both work, so it’s a poorly worded question. However, I guess when they said “ABC stand for a number,” they mean digits…whatever.
9. g. kryptonite | June 1st, 2007 at 12:13 am
Wow… Thanks for allowing me to briefly lapse in to a moment of nostalgia. There’s nothing like a fun SAT question knowing well my life no longer depends on it.
OK… My approach..? Divide and conquer.
i. 1B5A - 6BC = ABC. Knowing that 1B - 6 results in 1 digit, you can assume B less than or equal to 6.
ii. Looking at the next set of digits, (5 or 15) - B = B, you can deduce 2B is either 5 or 15. But since 2B must be even, you can know the subtraction of last set of digits will need to borrow 1 to make the result even. So B is either 2 or 7. But you know from i that B has to be less than or equal to 6, so B is 2.
iii. Replace the B’s with 2, you get 125A - 62C = A2C. Now you know A is 6 (12 - 6 = 6). So, 1256 - 62C = 62C. yadi yadi yada…
But then again, if I had seen this question when I was 17, I would have whimpered like a little girl and prayed for an answer.
Good luck with your SAT.
10. k0k | June 1st, 2007 at 12:18 am
considering the amount of food you talk about in every blog-post, I’m surprise you aren’t more blimp-like.
I’m going to start myself on diet coke, pronto.
11. DLT2 | June 1st, 2007 at 1:45 am
I’m secretly in love with my local 7-11. I’d drive down there just to grab a bottle or some snacks whenever I feel like it.
Windows open, empty roads, the wind all over my hair and driving back with something to munch on. Somehow it just hits the spot =)
In fact, i think i’ll go grab some Mars bars now xD
12. Michelle | June 1st, 2007 at 7:08 am
For the SAT Question, (I’m sixteen), I think I would solve it using permutations and combinations to see how many ways could it combine to…
And then I will try to work my way out!!!
I love Taiwan’s 7-11. They are everywhere!!! And they sell starbucks there! Isn’t it just cool? Starbucks in a tin!
13. Jeff from LA | June 1st, 2007 at 9:19 am
All I can say is, when I looked at that math problem, I was just glad that I’m a lawyer and will never have to deal with math again.
14. Ken | June 1st, 2007 at 11:22 am
Is there a solution? Can’t seem to solve it. B can’t be an integer to solve the equation?!?
15. Johann | June 1st, 2007 at 12:00 pm
It’s so good that you’re back together, how else am I meant to see you nowadays seeing as you won’t come to Melbourne :P… not likely to be in KL anytime soon, but HK is another matter (no, there aren’t any trips planned at the moment but you just never know when ;))
16. Kevin | June 1st, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Hahaha I straight away think it’s 1*B*5*A - 6*B*C = A*B*C
Damn AE subjects, too used to seeing all this crap..I almost tried to work it out that way until I became lazy halfway..would have been totally wrong anyway haha
17. tze | June 1st, 2007 at 3:16 pm
why are you in hong kong! *wails* are you not gonna see me before i leave!
18. songjun | June 1st, 2007 at 7:02 pm
lol i got trapped by that stupid kind of question few times… i started solving it like a normal equation then later only realise that it literally represents a number
but cool right the questions.. really challenges the way u think
19. naz | June 1st, 2007 at 7:28 pm
oh geez. thank god i dont need any maths in my line of work.
20. misao | June 1st, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Hey, first time posting a comment here, even though I’ve been reading your site regularly for the past few months. :)
Actually that question… don’t need such a long working right? Writing the equation in the old column form that we used to use in primary school, you’d see that in the tens column, 5 - B = B. But since B cannot be 2.5, that’d mean that the 5 should be ‘cut’ to become 4, with 10 added to the last column. Now, since B is 2, just looking at the hundreds and thousands column alone you’d see that 12 - 6 must be 6, hence A is 6. Remembering that there was a 10 added to the last column, 16 - C = C, hence C must be 8.
Of course, I didn’t take SAT, so I’m assuming this meant that it isn’t multiplication we’re talking about, as in 1*B*5*A etc.
21. vvens | June 1st, 2007 at 10:44 pm
hahahaha its funny when you mentioned that you went out without your bra. thats funny.
and i’ve never done it before except for once, accident lar… ;p
22. WL | June 1st, 2007 at 10:50 pm
hey,i started reading your blog a few months back and realize that you will be at bangsar often,or not so often.then sudenly i ask myself would i see her around bangsar?hmm,to my suprise,i did see you today.was glad my wish or so call wish came true.was nice seeing you walking pass nirvana.=]
23. Jun | June 1st, 2007 at 11:52 pm
haha cute post… now u make me wanna step into a hk 7-11. apa lah…
thx for the tips– at least now i know wat are the “defining” features of each district ^_~
btw since when did the SATS become so… mind-boggling?? either u young cikus are getting smarter, or i’m getting dumber @_@
24. markorega | June 2nd, 2007 at 1:04 am
Hey nice blog u have here.. have been reading it a few days and loving it. OMG that SAT question is the killa lol.
25. Jen | June 2nd, 2007 at 1:34 am
who knew that 7-11’s could be such food for thought.
i didnt get a good look at the SAT question. i got to it and my mind went “oh look, numbers. yay! something to ignore.” apologies.
26. Sk | June 2nd, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Su Ann, can I have the answer for the SAT question please?
Thanks 1st..
Wish you all the best in your SAT exam~
27. melvin | June 2nd, 2007 at 7:03 pm
is tat an air cond behind u? they still have those kinda air conds in HK? used to be a lot in msia in the 90s but slowly being replaced by newer ones..
28. jinz | June 3rd, 2007 at 10:30 am
lol good luck in ur SAT exams
salute u…biasala…those guys nvr see before izzit?..they acting innocent nia..lol
lucky martian boycoottt ur blgo..he doesn;t have to read this
good luck to u..i also having my finals soon
jinz
29. aya | June 4th, 2007 at 12:58 am
so you ended up without your kah feh~ :]
good luck
wish i could travel as much as you do
30. pinkpau | June 4th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
kimwooi : i go out braless a lot, so far no one has assaulted me! eh dont tell martian ah
pj : wrong :P
chang yang : why you so smart wan =( it took me forever to figure it out
hitomi : yes it is =( fortunately nothing like that came out for my actual SAT paper
charlie : correct!! and you win the grand prize!! :D
justanothertragedy : as do i :D sigh, boyfriends! why do they stand in the way of what makes us feel comfy!
entwined : i love hk but i couldnt live there. but yes one does feel very safe there :D the flipflops were too big but thats ok, i didnt walk that far!
jay : just answer the question!!! :P its not A*B*C, but A B C and each represent one digit of a 3 digit number
g kryp : so what’s your answer? :P thanks for the well wishes! i just took the paper and the math thankfully was not as tough as this question!
k0k : wei dont do that! diet coke is really bad for your health
dlt2 : SNICKERS!!! -___- not mars bars!!!
michelle : permutations and combos?? where can get the answer liddat! haha hk oso got starbucks in bottles and tins! but not nice wan
jeff from la : i envy you =(
ken : yes, the answer is 8 =)
johann : isnt malaysia closer to melb than hk is? you should just come visit me anyway :P
kevin : lazy bum when u coming bak to gimme my hugs!
tze : i’m back oredi!! faster, we hang out!!!!
songjun : it’s too complicated for a plebeian like me :P lucky the real SAT din come out this kinda shite. sniff i left three answers blank for sat math
naz : haha ur a very lucky man
misao : why are you folks all so clever? =(
vvens : accident oso can? ahha i actually prefer not wearing a bra to wearing one
WL : haha! i wish u’d said hi!
jun : the sat’s just gotten harder :P
markorega : siigh yes it is. thankfully the real thing’s not so difficult
jen : i wish i could say that too!!! =(
Sk : c = 8
melvin : haha yes they do!! isnt it the quaintest thing ever!
jin : when do ur exams end?
aya : no, i bought my kah feh :D
31. caine | June 4th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
going braless at such hours at such places,
u must have a guardian angel watching over you..
gosh, you and eva are cousins?
it really is a small world after all
32. byz | June 4th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Hola, where’d you get that may 13 book ? Can’t find it anywhere . .
where do yo u register for yous SATS in kl ?
thanks =)
33. Vicnan | June 4th, 2007 at 10:59 pm
ehhh. it seemed tough, but once you scribble it down in the, you know, kiddy addition table, it becomes so obvious. waste time only.
34. Vicnan | June 4th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
eh i realise that misao said it already. i was so pekchek you make me waste time i skipped to comment. =p
35. martian | June 4th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
since you abandoned me for the movie, i’m using my vicks inhaler as my security blanket.
36. pinkpau | June 5th, 2007 at 4:08 am
caine : why? going braless isnt a crime. yes eva and i are cousins :) how do u know her?
byz : i bought it at the airport. but the other day i saw it at a bookstore in bangsar, the one at the corner opposite bangsar village 2, called czip lee. u can get it online at malaysiakini.com as well. i registered for SATs at MACEE which is in bukit bintang but i would recommend u register online at the official website
vicnan : what is pekchek???
martian : baby ur commenting on my blog again!! :D baby u cannot love ur vicks more than u love me
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