# Move 2 matches to solve this equation, 28 + 3 = 26

Please help me solve this equation, 28 + 3 = 26, I tried plus and minus equations, but I can't seem to solve this puzzle

28 + 3 = 26
20 + 9 = 26 — Move the middle stick off the 8 to the fill in the top of the 3 for 9
20 + 6 = 26 — Move the top-right of the 9 to the bottom left to make a 6

28 + 3

turns into

26 + 9

which becomes

26 + 0

One more solution for this equation:

28 + 3 = 26

is

98 - 3 = 26 < match from plus to make 9 from 2

then

98 - 3 = 95 < match from six to make 9 from 2

• Does moving the match described in the first step not make an 8? – ZanyG Jan 17 at 8:18
• Perhaps the + is made by overlapping two matches. – Ian MacDonald Jan 17 at 11:49
• How does 2 plus a match become a 9? – JMP Jul 28 at 8:29

Well

If you are allowed to "double up" on matches for any edge, you can do 25 + 3 = 28 or 28 - 2 = 26. Both generate an extra match that you can double up an edge with.

(Note: my answer is inequalities, not an equation.)

As there are no restrictions listed:

20 - 3 ≠ 28 (really you can just move any two matches to get the does not equal sign. I chose moving the middle part of the 8 to make the does not equal sign and the vertical part of the plus sign to make the 6 and 8).

Or:

Depending on how you define "move" you could just tilt the equals sign so you'd get
28 + 3 > 26

But those probably aren't what you are looking for

• The question asks for an equation, these are inequalities – Jay Jan 17 at 5:14
• @Jay. True. However, most people don't know the difference and they are often synonymous (I didn't think about it when I posted this) – eye_am_groot Jan 17 at 11:56