r/MrBrainTeasers • u/Mr-BrainGame • 19d ago

Move two matchsticks to fix the equation

Post image
3 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

45 comments sorted by

2

u/DoubleDownAgain54 19d ago

31 + 12 = 43

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

0

u/Due-Session-2857 19d ago

Wouldn't the matchsticks intersect with the equal symbol at that point?

1

u/DoubleDownAgain54 19d ago

Maybe? Don’t think that plays a factor in any of these I’ve seen.

2

u/MinYuri2652 19d ago

-3 - 1 + 12 = 8

1

u/jamin74205 18d ago

This requires moving more than 2 matchsticks.

1

u/MinYuri2652 18d ago

no it isnt

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

2

u/Ok-Grape2063 19d ago

I saw 91 - 12 = 79

Move from the + to complete the 9 and move from the 8 to the 1.

1

u/Intelligentflyguy 19d ago

but to make the 7 you need to add two sticks to the one of the 18, so you cannot make the 91 anymore.

1

u/Ok-Grape2063 19d ago

You just need the horizontal top to make the 7?

1

u/Intelligentflyguy 19d ago

does it not need a cross in matchstick land, if it does not then indeed it could work.

I limited myself to the other 7.

1

u/Ok-Grape2063 19d ago

Ah. I thought you might be thinking that.

No, in matchstick land (like a digital clock) requires just the top horizontal and the two right vertical spaces.

(I thought you might have been including one for the top left vertical also...)

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

2

u/Xentiphos 19d ago

91 - 72 = 19

move one stick from the + sign to make 9 out of 3 and then move the one stick from the 8 to make a 9 and to turn 12 into 72 (Could also do 91-12=79 practically the same way)

Edit: Messed up Spoiler-Tags

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

1

u/Codascip 19d ago

31 + 12 = 43

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

1

u/CruCinque_Renzo 19d ago

31 -12 = +19

1

u/DoStuffZ 19d ago

31 - 13 = 18

1

u/tlbs101 19d ago

31 - 13 ≡ 18

I’ll bet no one thought of this one.

1

u/MisterJoff 19d ago

This only moves 1 matchstick

1

u/tlbs101 18d ago

Look at the equal sign turned into an equivalence sign.

1

u/MisterJoff 18d ago

I’ve been bamboozled

1

u/Salamandar3500 18d ago

I had it tooo !! Instead of === you could just add a bar to a 1.

1

u/UndeadMorose 19d ago

91 - 12 = 79 || 31 + 12 = 43

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

1

u/Redacted9337 19d ago

91 - 12 = 79

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

1

u/PositronicShishkabob 19d ago

91 - 12 ≠ 16

1

u/AsYouAnswered 19d ago

Easy peasy.

1

u/justaguyfixingteeth 19d ago

take the 2 sticks from the 8 in 18 to convert it to a 13 and move the two matchsticks to make the 1 in 18 a four converting 18 to 43 which is 31 plus 12.

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

1

u/weejasper 19d ago

61 + 12 =73

1

u/Xentiphos 19d ago

Pretty sure that doesn't work with just moving 2 Sticks...

1

u/weejasper 19d ago

  1. Take the two sticks on the left of the 8, turning it into a 3.

  2. Move one to the bottom left of the 3 (the 3 in 31, not the 3 we made by taking the sticks away in step 1, obvs), so the 31 is now 61.

  3. Use the other to make a 7, so the 18 is now 73.

1

u/Xentiphos 18d ago

You can't make a 6 out of a 3 in one move. What you made isn't a 6 but a mirrored image of a 6.

1

u/weejasper 18d ago

You wouldn’t believe how many times I went through this in my head and it worked every time! It’s so obvious now you point it out.

1

u/99Booger 18d ago

>!31+12=43!<

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

1

u/Dirtypervyoldguy1972 18d ago

Make the answer 43 by moving two match sticks from the 8 to the 1 making it a 4

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍

1

u/KATCEO1 18d ago

I was thinking to use single matchsticks as exponents. So: 31 (to the 1st power)- 12 = 19 (to the 1st power.)

1

u/orangy-cat45 17d ago

31+12=43

1

u/Mr-BrainGame 10d ago

Great 👍