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Hey there! Ready to become a math detective? Today, we will learn how to crack number puzzles using a super cool step-by-step plan!
To solve any math puzzle, we need a solid plan. First, we analyze the clues we are given. Then, we make a strategy, find the solution, and check if our answer makes sense.
Let us look at a simple math relationship. If a mystery number plus 5 equals 12, we can think of this as a balance scale. Both sides must have the same total value.
We can connect math ideas by using inverse operations. Since addition and subtraction are opposites, we can subtract 5 from 12 to find our missing number, which gives us 7.
A mystery number is multiplied by 3, and then 4 is added to the result. The final answer is 19. What is the mystery number?
- Analyze: We know the final result is 19. The steps to get there were multiplying by 3, then adding 4.
- Plan: We will work backward from 19 using opposite operations to find the starting number.
- Solve - Step 1: The last action was adding 4. The opposite of adding 4 is subtracting 4. So, 19 minus 4 equals 15.
- Solve - Step 2: The previous action was multiplying by 3. The opposite of multiplying by 3 is dividing by 3. So, 15 divided by 3 equals 5.
- Justify & Evaluate: Let us test 5 in the original puzzle. Multiply 5 by 3 to get 15. Add 4 to get 19. The solution is correct and makes perfect sense!
