Scribd
Upload
387 views4 pages

A Cryptarithm Is Just A Math Puzzle or A Math Ridd

A cryptarithm is a math puzzle where numbers are replaced with letters, forming equations to solve. Example 1 shows solving the cryptarithm "sun + fun = swim" using process of elimination and observations about possible digit values for each letter. Example 2 solves "ABCD x 4 = DCBA" by determining possible values for each letter that would result in a 4 digit product. Careful logical thinking is required to solve cryptarithms through making observations and eliminating impossible number mappings for each letter.

Uploaded by

rose dela cruz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
387 views4 pages

A Cryptarithm Is Just A Math Puzzle or A Math Ridd

A cryptarithm is a math puzzle where numbers are replaced with letters, forming equations to solve. Example 1 shows solving the cryptarithm "sun + fun = swim" using process of elimination and observations about possible digit values for each letter. Example 2 solves "ABCD x 4 = DCBA" by determining possible values for each letter that would result in a 4 digit product. Careful logical thinking is required to solve cryptarithms through making observations and eliminating impossible number mappings for each letter.

Uploaded by

rose dela cruz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

A cryptarithm is just a math puzzle or a math riddle.

We can turn any regular addition,


subtraction, multiplication, or division problem into a cryptarithm by replacing the
numbers with letters.

Example #1: Solve the cryptarithm below using only the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and
9. No letter can represent two different digits. For instance n cannot be 2 and 6 at the
same time.
sun
+ fun
______
SWIM
Guess and test is the strategy that we are going to use. However, just guess and test is
not enough. You may need to make some good observations or use some basic math
facts to solve the puzzle in a timely fashion. Otherwise, we may end up guessing all
day.
Solution:
s u n
+ f u n
_______________
s w i m
Notice that n cannot be 0. When adding n and n, the result is m and m is different than
n. However, 0 + 0 = 0, so you are not getting a different number. By the same token, u
cannot be 0.
Notice also that n cannot be 2, 7, or 9.
2+2=4 7 + 7 = 14 9 + 9 = 18
When adding, you will have to write down 4, or 8. However, 4 and 8 are not listed
among the numbers we can use.
By the same token u cannot be 2, 7 or 9 and n or u can only be 1, 3, or 6
Notice that the following additions are not possible.
s 6 1
+ f 6 1
_______________
s w 2 2
2 appears twice
s 6 3

+ f 6 3
_______________

s w 2 6
6 appears twice
s 1 6

+ f 1 6
_______________
s w 2 2

2 appears twice
For the one in the middle, you could try to swap 3 and 6 and see what happens.
s 3 6
+ f 3 6
_______________
s w 7 2
We have 3 numbers left to use 0, 1, and 9. If you going to get a number with 4 digits
as an answer, then 9 must be either s or f
9 3 6
+ 1 3 6
_______________
1 0 7 2
1 3 6
+ 9 3 6
_______________
1 0 7 2
The one on the right is of course our answer. The other two additions below are more
possibilities that would not have worked if we had tried them.
9 3 1
+ 7 3 1
_______________
1 6 6 2
9 1 3
+ 7 1 3
_______________
1 6 2 6

Example #2: Find A, B, C, and D. The digits that we can pick from are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, and 9
ABCD
x 4
____________
DCBA
Solution:
A B C D
x 4
_________________
D C B A
Important observation: The answer has 4 digits.
If the digit in red ( A ) is bigger than 2, the answer will have 5 digits instead 4.
Therefore A cannot be 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, or 9. A can be either 1 or 2.
Suppose that A is 1 as shown below. Then, 4 times D = 1
1 D B C
x 4
_________________
D C B 1
4 times 1 = 4, 4 times 2 = 8, 4 times 3 = 12, 4 times 4 = 16, 4 times 5
=20,
4 times 6 = 24 , 4 times 7 = 28, 4 times 8 = 32, 4 times 9 = 36
There are no numbers multiplied by 4 that will give you a 1 in the ones place. A
cannot be 1 and since A cannot be 1, A must be 2.
2 B C D
x 4
_________________
D C B 2
Only 4 times 3 or 4 times 8 will give you a 2 in the ones place, so D is 3 or 8
2 B C 3
x 4
_________________
3 C B 2
2 B C 8
x 4
_________________
8 C B 2
At this point, I feel more inclined to use the one on the right because 4 times 2 gives
me the 8 that I want.
2 B C 8
x 4
_________________
8 C B 2
My strategy now is to pick the right number for B. As I try to do this I notice that B
cannot be bigger than 3. Anything bigger than 3 will have a carry that will force the 8
in the answer to be bigger. 2 is not a choice either since 2 cannot be repeated. My only
choice for B then is 1.
2 1 C 8
x 4
_________________
8 C 1 2
When I do 4 times 8, I have a carry of 3.
4 times C + 3 must give a number with 1 in the ones place. My two choices for C are
2 and 7. 2 cannot be chosen since the 2 will be repeated. My only choice for C is 7.
2 1 7 8
x 4
_________________
8 7 1 2
Some cryptarithms will be tougher than that to solve. However, you can eventualy
solve them by making some good observations.
Homepage

You might also like