Puzzle for December 3, 2019  ( )

Scratchpad

Find the 6-digit number ABCDEF by solving the following equations:

eq.1) A + B + C + D + E + F = 21 eq.2) B + D = A eq.3) C – E = B + E eq.4) D + F = C eq.5) A + F = C + E eq.6) B – D = A – C

A, B, C, D, E, and F each represent a one-digit non-negative integer.

Scratchpad

 

Help Area

Hint #1


In eq.6, replace A with B + D (from eq.2): B – D = B + D – C Subtract B from both sides of the above equation: B – D – B = B + D – C – B which becomes –D = D – C Add C and D to each side: –D + C + D = D – C + C + D which makes eq.6a) 2×D = C


  

Hint #2


In eq.4, replace C with 2×D: D + F = 2×D Subtract D from both sides of the equation above: D + F – D = 2×D – D which makes F = D


  

Hint #3


In eq.5, substitute B + D for A (from eq.2), D for F, and 2×D for C: B + D + D = 2×D + E which becomes B + 2×D = 2×D + E Subtract 2×D from each side of the equation above: B + 2×D – 2×D = 2×D + E – 2×D which makes B = E


  

Hint #4


Substitute B for E in eq.3: C – B = B + B which becomes C – B = 2×B Add B to both sides of the equation above: C – B + B = 2×B + B which makes C = 3×B


  

Hint #5


Substitute 3×B for C in eq.6a: 2×D = 3×B Divide both sides of the equation above by 2: 2×D ÷ 2 = 3×B ÷ 2 which makes D = 1½×B and also makes F = D = 1½×B


  

Hint #6


Substitute 1½×B for D in eq.2: B + 1½×B = A which makes 2½×B = A


  

Solution

Substitute 2½×B for A, 3×B for C, 1½×B for D and F, and B for E in eq.1: 2½×B + B + 3×B + 1½×B + B + 1½×B = 21 which simplifies to 10½×B = 21 Divide both sides of the above equation by 10½: 10½×B ÷ 10½ = 21 ÷ 10½ which means B = 2 making A = 2½×B = 2½ × 2 = 5 C = 3×B = 3 × 2 = 6 D = F = 1½×B = 1½ × 2 = 3 E = B = 2 and ABCDEF = 526323