Math puzzle worksheet for kids to solve equations and crack a code to answer a fun riddle.

Let's solve this step by step.

---

Step 1: Solve each math problem and find the answer

We have two tables of problems. We'll solve each one, then match the answer to a letter using the given code.

---

#### Left Table:

| Problem | Answer | Letter |
|--------|--------|--------|
| 25 - 9 | 16 | P |
| Double 11 | 22 | M |
| 6 × 3 | 18 | A |
| 9 + 8 | 17 | K |
| 5 × 3 | 15 | N |
| 8 + 4 | 12 | D |
| 3 × 3 | 9 | U |

---

#### Right Table:

| Problem | Answer | Letter |
|--------|--------|--------|
| 4 × 5 | 20 | B |
| 15 - 8 | 7 | R |
| 2 less than 21 | 19 | C |
| Sides on an octagon | 8 | I |
| 17 - 11 | 6 | L |
| Double 5 | 10 | T |
| 3 more than 11 | 14 | E |

---

Now we have a mapping from numbers to letters:

- 16 → P
- 22 → M
- 18 → A
- 17 → K
- 15 → N
- 12 → D
- 9 → U
- 20 → B
- 7 → R
- 19 → C
- 8 → I
- 6 → L
- 10 → T
- 14 → E

---

Step 2: Use the numbers in the riddle to decode the answer

The riddle is:

> How do you catch a squirrel?

Below are sequences of numbers that correspond to letters.

We’ll go through each group and convert the numbers to letters using our table.

---

First line:
```
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
19 6 8 22 20 9 16 18
```

Convert:
- 19 → C
- 6 → L
- 8 → I
- 22 → M
- 20 → B
- 9 → U
- 16 → P
- 18 → A

So: C L I M B U P A

That looks like: CLIMB UP A

---

Second line:
```
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10 7 14 14 18 15 12 18 19 10
```

Convert:
- 10 → T
- 7 → R
- 14 → E
- 14 → E
- 18 → A
- 15 → N
- 12 → D
- 18 → A
- 19 → C
- 10 → T

So: T R E E A N D A C T

That’s: TREE AND ACT

Wait — that doesn’t make sense. Let’s recheck.

Wait! The spacing might be off. Let's look at the original layout.

It says:

```
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10 7 14 14 18 15 12 18 19 10
```

So three groups:
- 10, 7, 14, 14 → T R E E
- 18, 15, 12 → A N D
- 18, 19, 10 → A C T

So: TREE AND ACT

Hmm... “Tree and act”? That doesn't fit.

Wait — maybe it's "tree" and "a nut"? But 18,19,10 = A C T.

But “ACT” isn’t right.

Wait — perhaps it's "TREE AND ACORN"? But we don’t have "O" or "R" in that.

Wait — let’s check if we missed something.

Wait — 18 → A, 19 → C, 10 → T → so ACT, but that’s not helpful.

Wait — what if it’s “TREE AND A TREE”? But that doesn’t help.

Wait — maybe the joke is “You tree and act”? No.

Wait — maybe it's “You climb up a tree and act”? But “act” doesn’t fit.

Wait — let’s look at the third line.

---

Third line:
```
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
6 8 17 14 18 15 9 10
```

Convert:
- 6 → L
- 8 → I
- 17 → K
- 14 → E
- 18 → A
- 15 → N
- 9 → U
- 10 → T

So: L I K E A N U T

That’s: LIKE A NUT

Ah! So putting it together:

- First line: CLIMB UP A
- Second line: TREE AND ACT → wait, no. Wait — second line: TREE AND ACT?

Wait — maybe the second line is "TREE AND A NUT"?

But the numbers are:
- 10,7,14,14 → T R E E
- 18,15,12 → A N D
- 18,19,10 → A C T → that’s ACT, not NUT

But third line has LIKE A NUT

Wait — perhaps the second line is "TREE AND", and the third line continues?

Wait — the layout is:

```
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
19 6 8 22 20 9 16 18
→ CLIMB UP A

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
10 7 14 14 18 15 12 18 19 10
→ TREE AND ACT

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
6 8 17 14 18 15 9 10
→ LIKE A NUT
```

So full sentence:

CLIMB UP A TREE AND ACT LIKE A NUT

That doesn’t make sense.

Wait — perhaps there’s a typo? Or misreading.

Wait — maybe the second line is not “ACT”, but “ACORN”? But we don’t have O or R.

Wait — let’s double-check the decoding.

Wait — perhaps the last part is "A NUT", but the number sequence is 18,15,9,10?

No — it’s 18,19,10 → A C T

Wait — unless “ACT” is meant to be “ACORN”? But no.

Wait — what if the riddle is:

"How do you catch a squirrel?"

Answer: "You climb up a tree and act like a nut!"

But “act like a nut” — that makes sense!

But we have:

- First line: CLIMB UP A
- Second line: TREE AND ACT
- Third line: LIKE A NUT

But the second line has ACT, which is correct.

So the full phrase is:

CLIMB UP A TREE AND ACT LIKE A NUT

Yes — that’s a pun: squirrels are nuts, and they act like nuts.

So the answer is:

> Climb up a tree and act like a nut!

But let’s confirm all the numbers.

---

Final Decoding:

Line 1:
19 → C
6 → L
8 → I
22 → M
20 → B
9 → U
16 → P
18 → A
→ CLIMB UP A

Line 2:
10 → T
7 → R
14 → E
14 → E
18 → A
15 → N
12 → D
18 → A
19 → C
10 → T
→ TREE AND ACT

Line 3:
6 → L
8 → I
17 → K
14 → E
18 → A
15 → N
9 → U
10 → T
→ LIKE A NUT

So the full decoded message is:

> CLIMB UP A TREE AND ACT LIKE A NUT

---

✔ Final Answer:

How do you catch a squirrel?
👉 Climb up a tree and act like a nut!

This is a pun because squirrels are often described as “nuts,” and “acting like a nut” means being crazy or silly — just like a squirrel!

---

✔ Summary of the Code:

| Number | Letter |
|--------|--------|
| 6 | L |
| 7 | R |
| 8 | I |
| 9 | U |
| 10 | T |
| 12 | D |
| 14 | E |
| 15 | N |
| 16 | P |
| 17 | K |
| 18 | A |
| 19 | C |
| 20 | B |
| 22 | M |

All matches are correct.

---

🎉 Answer: Climb up a tree and act like a nut!