Math Problem Statement

Paul is thinking of a number. The number is greater than 400 and smaller than 420. The digits of the number add up to 14. What number is he thinking of?

Solution

Let's solve this step by step:

Problem:

  • The number is greater than 400 and smaller than 420.
  • The digits of the number must add up to 14.

Solution:

  1. List all numbers between 400 and 420:

    • 401, 402, 403, ..., 419.
  2. Calculate the sum of the digits for each number:

    • 401: 4+0+1=54 + 0 + 1 = 5
    • 402: 4+0+2=64 + 0 + 2 = 6
    • 403: 4+0+3=74 + 0 + 3 = 7
    • ...
    • 419: 4+1+9=144 + 1 + 9 = 14
  3. Identify the number where the digits add up to 14:

    • The number is 419.

Final Answer:

Paul is thinking of the number 419.

Do you have any further questions or need clarification? Here are 5 related questions to explore further:

  1. What strategies can be used to solve similar problems with digit-sum constraints?
  2. How would the answer change if the range were 500–520?
  3. Can you generalize a rule to determine a digit-sum number for any range?
  4. What applications might this type of problem-solving have in other contexts (e.g., cryptography)?
  5. How could this be extended to a three-digit or multi-step problem?

Tip: When solving digit-sum problems, systematically test each candidate within the specified range to avoid missing possibilities.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Number properties
Digit sum

Formulas

Sum of digits = a + b + c for a three-digit number abc

Theorems

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Suitable Grade Level

Grades 4-6