Answer
The missing sum is 40.
Circle = 12
Star = 3
Square = 7
Triangle = 9
Reasoning
Looking at Column 1 and Column 3 we have:
[1] Square + Star + Circle + Square = 29
[2] Square + Square + Triangle + Star = 26
If we subtract [1] − [2] we get:
[3] Circle − Triangle = 3
And Row 3 is:
[4] Circle + Circle + Triangle + Circle = 45
If we add [3] + [4] we get:
Circle + Circle + Circle + Circle = 48
So, Circle = 12.
Using [3] we find that Triangle = 9.
Using Column 2 we find that Star = 3.
Using Row 1 we find that Square = 7.
Double-Checking
The rows add to: 35 + 26 + 45 + 25 = 131.
The columns add to: 29 + 36 + 26 + 40 = 131.
The rows and columns must add to the same number, so this could have been used a shortcut to the missing sum.
In total, there are:
5 Squares = 5 x 7 = 35
5 Circles = 5 x 12 = 60
3 Stars = 3 x 3 = 9
3 Triangles = 3 x 9 = 27
Which is also a total of 131.
So all of the totals are the same, as expected.
?
Puzzle 202
This is a well known children's musical piece, the vowels (AEIOU) have been removed, and the remaining letters have been grouped together. Can you determine the correct words?
lttl mssm ffts tntf fttn ghrc rdsn dwhy thrc mbgs pdrw hstd wnbs dhrn dfrg htnd mssm fftw y