Arithmetic Puzzles

Created by Inna Shapiro ©2008

 Problem 1

Please, replace the “#” and “&”

symbols with digits
##
+
#&
197
 Answer

99
+
98
197
 Problem 2

Please, replace the “#” and “&”

symbols with digits
1###
-
&&&
1
 Answer

1000
-
999
1
 Problem 3

Please, replace each letter with a digit:

aa + bcb = deed,
Note that each of those numbers is its
own mirror image (left to right is same
as right to left).
 Answer

We must find digits, so that the sum looks like

aa + bcb = deed.
Obviously d=1 and b=9 =>
aa + 9c9 = 1ee1, that means that a=2,
22 + 9c9 = 1ee1 => e=0 and c=7
22 + 979 = 1001
 Problem 4

Please, replace letters with digits

BDCE
+
BDAE
AECBE
 Answer

5240
+
5210
10450
 Problem 5

Please, replace letters with digits

a52b
-
b25a
8cdc
 Answer

9521
-
1259
8262
 Problem 6

How can you replace “#” and “&”

symbols?

1. #### + 1 = 1&&&&
2. 1&&&&&& - 1 = ######
 Answers

1. 9999 + 1 = 10000
2. 1000000 – 1 = 999999
 Problem 7

Can you change letters ‘a’ and ‘b’ to digits?

b
aaaa
+aaaa
aaaa
baaaa
 Answer

2
9999
+9999
9999
29999
 Problem 8

Please, replace letters with digits to

get the correct answer
7abcdef : 5 = abcdef7
 Answer

714285 : 5 = 142857
 Problem 9

Max wrote two-digit number. Then

he inserted 0 between the two
digits. The result is nine times
greater than original number.
What was the original number?
 Answer

The original number is 45, when

Max added 0 he got 405,
45 * 9 = 405
 Problem 10

Please add arithmetic signs and

parenthesis to get correct answers:
5555=3
5555=4
5555=5
5555=6
5555=7
 Answer

(5 + 5 + 5) : 5 = 3
(5 * 5 – 5) : 5 = 4
(5 – 5) * 5 + 5 = 5
(5 * 5 + 5) : 5 = 6
(5 + 5) : 5 + 5 = 7
 Egyptian Multiplication
The Ancient Egyptians used a pencil and
paper method for multiplication which was
based on doubling and addition.
 18 x 53 using Egyptian
Multiplication
Write 1 and 53, meaning 1 lot of 53.
Work down, doubling the numbers, so
1 53
that you’ve now got 2, 4, 8, 16, etc. lots 2 106
of 53.
Stop when the number of the left (16) is
4 212
more than half of the other number you 8 424
are multiplying (18).
16 848
Look for numbers on the left that add up
to 18 (2 and 16).
954
Cross out the other rows of numbers.
Add up the remaining numbers on the
right to get the final answer.
 76 x 39 using Egyptian
Multiplication
Write 1 and 76, meaning 1 lot of 76.
Work down, doubling the numbers, so
1 76
that you’ve now got 2, 4, 8, 16, etc. lots 2 152
of 76.
Stop when the number of the left (32) is
4 304
more than half of the other number you 8 608
are multiplying (39).
16 1216
Look for numbers on the left that add up
to 39 (1, 2, 4 and 32). 32 2432
Cross out the other rows of numbers.
Add up the remaining numbers on the 2964
right to get the final answer.
 Now it’s your turn!
This jar holds 17 litres of water.
How much water will 26 jars hold?

A potter makes 35 pots each week.

How many will he make in a year?

This chariot travels 23km in an hour.

How far will it travel in 45 hours?
 Now it’s your turn!
A soldier marches 28km each day.
How far will he march in 38 days?

A chest holds 44 large gold coins.

How many coins will 35 chests hold?

This boat carries 61 soldiers.

How many soldiers are there on 26
boats?
Maths Puzzles

Thinking caps on!

 Puzzle 1
If you spell all the numbers starting at
1 and working upwards, when you
write the letter “a” for the first time?

Not sure what I mean?

Write 1 as “one”
Write 2 as “two”
Write 3 as “three”
Etc.
When is my first letter “a”?
 Puzzle 2
Move one number to make the
following calculation true:

101 – 102 = 1
 Puzzle 3
What mathematical symbol can be
placed between the numbers 5 and 9 to
get a number that is bigger than 5 but
smaller than 9?

Example (that is wrong!):

5 + 9 = 14 (too big!)
 Puzzle 4
I’ve drawn a triangle where every
angle is a square. What are the
angles?

Think carefully about the wording of this one!

 Puzzle 5
Can you arrange the numbers 1 to 9 to
make a fraction that simplifies to a
third?

An example (that doesn’t work!):

1234/56789
 Puzzle 6
I have a quadrilateral. It has a pair of
parallel sides, a pair of equal sides
and 2 pairs of equal angles.

What, specifically, is my shape?

 Puzzle 7
A house was valued at £220,000. It had
fallen in price due to the credit crunch
by 12%.

How much was the house worth before the credit

crunch?
 Puzzle 8
I go on a journey to a friend’s and then
back again. I average 50mph on the
way there but only 40 mph on the way
back.

What is the average speed for my whole

journey?
 Puzzle 9
Simplify fully the expression below

(x-a)(x-b)(x-c)(x-d)……(x-y)(x-z)
 Puzzle 1
Use any mathematical process to make
these calculations correct
• 1 1 1=6
• 2 2 2=6
• 3 3 3=6
• 4 4 4=6
• 5 5 5=6
• 6 6 6=6
• 7 7 7=6
• 8 8 8=6
• 9 9 9=6
 Thanks to:

 www.mathsisfun.com

 www.mathsphere.co.uk

 www.brainbashers.com
END OF PRESENTATION