Math Is Fun Forum

kim tafolla

Guest

math

i don't get the answer....

question?  in checking a book of consecutively numbere Senior Citizen tickets, you find there are no tickets between number 13,383 and 13,833.

how many tickets are missing?

my answer was 450, but according to my answer sheet the answer is 449???? i don't get it?

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: math

Hi kim tafolla;

Welcome to the forum! The answer sheet is correct. You are subtracting to get your answer. Always try to find patterns in problems rather than doing rote calculations.

Think about it like this:

If there were 13385 senior citizens then there is obviously only 1 ticket missing, 13384. But subtraction gets an answer of 2.

If there were 13386 senior citizens then there is obviously only 2 tickets missing, 13384 and 13385. But subtraction gets an answer of 3.

If there were 13387 senior citizens then there is obviously only 3 tickets missing, 13384,13385 and 13386. But subtraction gets an answer of 4. Notice the correct answer is always 1 less than the subtraction.

So 13,833 - 13,383 = 450.
450 -1 = 449.

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.