There Are 3 Ways To Balance This Equation By Moving Just 1 Matchstick
Not so simple, is it?
This equation obviously isn't correctly balanced. But by moving only one matchstick, you can fix it?
Did you figure out how to do it? If not, keep looking and thinking. If so, congratulations! But there are actually three total ways to solve the equation by moving only one matchstick. Can you figure out the other two methods?
Here's your first hint. The highlighted matchstick is the one that needs to be moved.
Hm, what can 6 turn into?
Solution 1: by moving this matchstick, the 6 becomes a 0, and we see the equation is now 0+4=4, which is correct!
Yay! Two more to go.
Here's your second hint. This one requires you to think on the other side of the equation.
What happens if you change the 6 again?
Solution 2: by removing the matchstick and turning the 6 into a 5, we see 5+4=9, which is also correct.
Only one more solution left. Can you figure it out without a hint?
Here's your third and final hint. Nobody said you couldn't manipulate the operators!
It's a tricky way to think, but what happens if you change the addition sign?
Solution 3: by removing the matchstick from the addition sign, it becomes a subtraction sign. If you then place that matchstick on the 6, it becomes an 8.
And thus we have 8-4=4, which is correct. That's all the solutions! Could you find them all?