Road Sign Math

Showing that the wonderful fun of finding mathematically significant road signs extends beyond the borders of the United States this sign, our first international sign winner, comes all the way from Israel! As they say, math is the international language. This winning sign was submitted by Rosalin Chrest on a recent trip to Israel.

This sign winner is a multi-sign entry on a single gantry (remember the rules clarification that a gantry can connect multiple signs). This sign wins using a trick that old hands at finding mathematical road signs use a lot, two of the same numbers are always 1, just divide them. So we see the math as

{ 20 \over 20 } + { 5 \over 5 } = 2

This sign can also win another way just using the sign on the right and ignoring the other sign on the gantry. On the right this sign wins with

( 5 + 5 ) \times 2 = 20

This sign is found in Israel as you leave Tel-Aviv headed northbound on Highway 2 along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. See sign on map!