I can't do this on a calculator never mind in code :(

var nineteen = (b * c) + (b * b) + c + b + a;

would work. there are lots of solutions.

var nineteen = (c * c) + b + a

would work as well.

what I did was just use numbers first (but only use the numbers that a, b and c store. so first I wrote out

(2 * 4) + (2 * 2) which is 12, so we have 7 left

then just added that 7 on using 4, 2 and 1

(2 * 4) + (2 * 2) + 4 + 2 + 1

then I just replaced the numbers with the matching variables

var nineteen = (b * c) + (b * b) + c + b + a;

Here's how to break the problem down into 5 steps:

It's basically long division combined with find / replace.

1. What's the largest block we have to work with? it's 4
2. How many times does 4 go into 19? 4 * 4 = 16 with 3 left over
3. Since c = 4, we would translate that as (c * c) = 16
4. We have 3 leftover, since b = 2 & a = 1, so we can just add them together, b + a = 3
5. Put what we got from steps 2 & 4 together, make sure to remember order of operations and and use the parenthesis, so we get (c * c) + b + a = 19

var nineteen = (c * c) + b + a;

:D correct answer var nineteen = a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a + a