ACTIVITY 3: The Message Mender | ANSWER AND EXPLANATION

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Strip 1: 3 + 2 = 5, and 2 + 5 = 7. Replace its third number, 6, with 5. Row 3, column 2 gives P.

Strip 2: the second, third and fourth numbers already satisfy 1 + 2 = 3. To also make first + 1 = 2, replace the first number with 1. Row 1, column 1 gives A.

Strip 3: 2 + 1 = 3 already works. Replace the fourth number with 1 + 3 = 4. Row 2, column 1 gives S.

Strip 4: keeping first 2, third 3 and fourth 4 requires second 1: both 2 + 1 = 3 and 1 + 3 = 4. Replace the second number, 4, with 1. Row 2, column 1 gives S.

Strip 5: 1 + 3 = 4 already works. Replace the fourth number with 3 + 4 = 7. Row 1, column 3 gives I.

Strip 6: keeping first 2, third 5 and fourth 8 requires second 3: both 2 + 3 = 5 and 3 + 5 = 8. Replace the second number, 1, with 3. Row 2, column 3 gives T.

Strip 7: 1 + 4 = 5 already works. To also make first + 1 = 4, replace the first number with 3. Row 3, column 1 gives O.

Strip 8: keeping first 4 and second 1 gives third 5 and fourth 6. Replace the third number, 7, with 5. Row 4, column 1 gives N.

Read the eight letters in the printed strip order and insert only the specified two spaces.

Each first/second pair determines the other two numbers. Of the 16 allowed pairs, only one differs from each printed strip in exactly one position. This fixes the letter without a word guess.
