Move exactly one match to make it true.
💡 Hint
The plus sign is made of two matches. Take one of them.
Reveal answer
Take the vertical match from the plus sign, turning it into a minus. Use it to turn the 3 into a 9. Now it reads 9 − 4 = 5.
Removing the vertical stick from “+” leaves “−”. A 3 on a digital display is missing only the upper-left stick to become a 9, so the spare match fills that gap. 9 − 4 = 5 is true. We tested every possible single move by computer: this is the only one that works.
Did you get it?
About This Puzzle
In this matchstick puzzle, changing a digit alone won’t do it. Sometimes the match you need is sitting somewhere you weren’t looking. Take a close look at the whole equation, symbols included.
How to Think About It
3 + 4 is 7, not 5, and turning the 5 into a 7 would need more than one move. So try changing the operation instead. A plus sign is made of two matches, a minus sign of one. If the sign became a minus, what would the first number need to be?
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