Modified Magic square with sum $15$

combinatoricsrecreational-mathematics

Consider the following diagram:

enter image description here

The task is to use integers from 1 to 9 (both endpoints inclusive) in a way that the sum of all numbers written in 3 square in the same row or column is 15. I think this related with magic squares but I could not find a solution. Any help is appreciated.

Best Answer

Note that if you add both rows and both columns together, you should get a sum of $15+15+15+15=60$, but this counts the numbers in the yellow squares twice. On the other hand, if you count all the squares individually you get $1+2+\cdots+9=45$. Therefore the sum of the yellow squares must be $15$.

However, this implies that there is no solution unless you are allowed to repeat numbers. The reason is this: consider the two yellow squares in the same row. We know that they, along with the third yellow square, sum to $15$. However, their row also must sum to $15$. So the blue square between them must have the same number as the third yellow square.

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