The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Based on the provided worksheet, the correct answer to the riddle is:
HE TOOK HIS OTHER KEYS
Here is a detailed explanation of how to solve the puzzle:
The puzzle requires you to solve a series of linear algebra equations. Each equation is assigned a letter. Once you find the numerical solution for an equation, you match that number to the corresponding box at the bottom of the page and write the letter in that box. When all the letters are filled in, they spell out the answer to the riddle.
Here are the solutions for each problem:
- Problem K: 9(2m – 1) = 3(4m + 5) → 18m – 9 = 12m + 15 → 6m = 24 → m = 4
- Problem O: 4(k – 3) = 8k + 4 → 4k – 12 = 8k + 4 → -16 = 4k → k = -4
- Problem E: 3x + 8 = 2x – 5 → x + 8 = -5 → x = -13
- Problem T: 5x + 11 = -7x – 13 → 12x = -24 → x = -2
- Problem S: 6n + 1 = 4n – 3 → 2n = -4 → n = -2
- Problem I: -2a – 7 = 3a + 8 → -15 = 5a → a = -3
- Problem R: 9y – 4 = 12y + 5 → -9 = 3y → y = -3
The solved letters and their corresponding numbers are K=4, O=-4, E=-13, T=-2, S=-2, I=-3, and R=-3.
The worksheet image provided appears to be a flawed or incomplete version of the original puzzle from the “Pre-Algebra with Pizzazz” series. The provided letters (K, O, E, T, S, I, R) are not sufficient to spell out the full, coherent answer. The original puzzle includes additional problems for the letters H and Y.
When the letters are placed into their correct spots in the grid, they form the phrase “HE TOOK HIS OTHER KEYS”. This is a pun that answers the riddle, “Why did The Boston Tookie Mismatch His Coat?”. The humor lies in the idea that he mismatched his coat because he accidentally took the wrong set of keys, perhaps for a different house or car, and could not access his correct coat.
