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Concept 1 of 5

Missing-Digit Sums

1

Today's big idea

Find the hidden digit

Total minus the known part reveals it.

2

How it works

👀 What's going on?

Someone spilled paint on your homework and hid one digit of an addition. You do not need to redo the whole sum — you can work the missing digit out from the answer.

💡 Here's the trick

Find the missing digit2?+ 14 =40

Look at the sum above with a hidden digit. If you know the total and one of the numbers, you can subtract to find the other number, and that reveals the missing digit.

  1. 1.Read the total and the number you can see.
  2. 2.Subtract the visible number from the total.
  3. 3.The answer shows you the hidden number, so read off its missing digit.

✍️ Try it

In 2 + 14 = 40, what is the missing digit? 40 − 14 = 26, so the hidden number is 26. The missing digit is 6.

⚠️ Watch out

Subtract to undo an addition — do not add again. If you add 14 to 40 you go the wrong way and get a number far too big.

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See it in action

⚡ Time to play!

One digit is hidden. Use the total to work backwards and find it.

MISSING DIGIT · ROUND 1 OF 3

2⬜ + 14 = 40

What is the missing digit (⬜)?

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Quick check

✅ VERIFICATION

In the sum 3 + 15 = 47, what is the missing digit?

⚡ Finish the activity above first to answer.

Keep going!

Up next: Symbol Equations

🍎+🍌=7, 🍎=4 → 🍌=3.

Concept 2 of 5