Question 6282
1 box:
<pre>
 _
| |
| |
 - 
</pre>
<br>
2 boxes:
<pre>
 _ _
| | |
| | |
 - -
</pre>
<br>
3 boxes:
<pre>
 _ _ _
| | | |
| | | |
 - - -
</pre>
<P>
Now from the above diagrams,it is clear that for one box,we need 6 matches.
Fundamentally no matter how the boxes are structured,after the first box,we only need 4 matches to complete another one.
<br>
So we see:
1 box=6
2 boxes=6+4(1)
3 boxes=6+4+4=6+4(2)
and so on...
<br>
Generalising this we can say,
Number of matches required=6+4(Total number of boxes-1)
<P>
<b>m=6+4(x-1)</b>
<br>Where:
m=number of matches
x=total number of boxes formed
<P>
I do not understand your bit about two rules,one starting with multiplication one with addition.The rule I seem to find above includes both.
<P>If this is not the case,or if you need any other help,or if you have any other questions,feel free to mail me:
xcentaur-AT-hotmail-DOT-com
<P>
Hope this helps,
good luck.