Welcome to cryptarithmetic puzzles! These are fun math puzzles where letters represent different numbers. Each letter stands for a unique digit from 0 to 9. For example, if A equals 2, B equals 3, then A plus B equals C, which is 5. Let's learn how to solve these step by step!
Now let's look at our special puzzle! We have EDDY plus YYYY equals DEED. This is a vertical addition problem where each letter represents a different digit. Notice that D, E, and Y are our three mystery numbers. D appears in multiple places, Y appears four times in a row, and E appears in specific positions. Our job is to figure out what numbers these letters represent!
Now let's be math detectives and look for clues! First clue: Y appears four times in a row in the second number. Second clue: The answer starts and ends with D. Third clue: E appears in the first position of the first number and twice in the middle of the answer. These patterns are our clues that will help us solve this puzzle step by step!
Let's start solving by looking at the rightmost column, the ones place. We have Y plus Y equals D. When we add two identical numbers, we always get an even result. For example, 3 plus 3 equals 6, 4 plus 4 equals 8, 5 plus 5 equals 10, and 6 plus 6 equals 12. This is our first important clue about what Y and D could be!
Sometimes when we add numbers, we get a result that's 10 or bigger! Let's see what happens with 7 plus 7. That equals 14. Since 14 is bigger than 9, we write down the 4 in the ones place and carry the 1 to the tens place. Think of it like having 14 blocks - we can group 10 of them together and carry that group to the next column!