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In the subtraction below each letter stands for a single digit: . What is ?

Competition practiceReasoning & Mental Ability
  • A5
  • B11
  • C13
  • D12

Step-by-Step Solution

Start at the units column: 3 − B cannot end in 4 on its own, so a ten is borrowed and 13 − B = 4, giving B = 9. Now the tens column is A − 1 (the borrow) − 8, which must end in 5; A − 9 = 5 is impossible for a digit, so another ten is borrowed and A + 10 − 9 = 5, giving A = 4. Checking: 843 − 489 = 354. So A + B = 4 + 9 = 13. The trap is 5, from writing 3 − B = 4 as B = 1 and ignoring both borrows.
Answer: C) 13

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