What is the missing number? 73 – 17 = 46 ? 8 10 12 13
The correct answer and explanation is:
To solve the problem:
73 – 17 = 46 ?
The question is asking what number fits after 46 to make the sequence correct or meaningful. The options are:
- 8
- 10
- 12
- 13
Let’s begin by solving the equation:
73 – 17 = 56, not 46.
So clearly, 73 – 17 = 46 is not mathematically correct — it’s 10 less than the actual answer. This suggests the problem might involve a pattern or logic puzzle rather than just straightforward arithmetic.
Let’s think of it in a step-by-step logic puzzle format.
We’re given:
73 – 17 = 46 ?
So this could imply:
- The difference between 73 and 17 is not literally 46, but some manipulation gives 46 and then we must find the next related number.
Let’s consider if 46 and the answer number form a pattern.
Let’s look at the relationship:
- 73 – 17 = 56 (Actual value)
- But the equation says 73 – 17 = 46
- So 56 – 10 = 46
That tells us a subtraction of 10 is involved — maybe the question is asking:
What must be subtracted from the real answer (56) to get 46?
That would be 10.
✅ Correct Answer: 10
Explanation (300 words):
The given problem is:
73 – 17 = 46 ?, with options 8, 10, 12, and 13.
At first glance, this looks like a basic subtraction problem, but solving 73 – 17 gives 56, not 46. This indicates the equation is deliberately incorrect, and we are supposed to determine what happened to arrive at the number 46 instead of 56.
To get from 56 to 46, we subtract 10. This means the difference between 73 and 17 was correctly calculated (56), but then 10 was subtracted to get to 46. Therefore, the “?” in the equation is likely referring to this extra step.
So the problem can be rewritten as:
(73 – 17) – ? = 46
This simplifies to:
56 – ? = 46
Solving for the unknown:
? = 56 – 46 = 10
Thus, the missing number is 10.
This type of question tests logical reasoning and the ability to spot a hidden operation rather than following a straightforward equation. It encourages critical thinking and awareness of patterns or inconsistencies in numerical expressions. In such puzzles, it’s important not to assume the given arithmetic is correct, but to investigate the difference and understand what operation may have occurred.