Zippin Down the Freebie Trail - Free Printable

Let’s solve each expression one by one. We’ll calculate the value for each letter, then use those values to decode the secret message at the bottom.

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Step 1: Solve each expression

We go letter by letter:

A: (6 + 3) - 5 = 9 - 5 = 4
B: (12 × 2) - 10 = 24 - 10 = 14
C: 16 ÷ (56 ÷ 7) = 16 ÷ 8 = 2
D: 30 ÷ (15 - 10) = 30 ÷ 5 = 6
E: (32 ÷ 8) ÷ 4 = 4 ÷ 4 = 1
F: 41 - (13 × 2) = 41 - 26 = 15
G: 29 - (48 ÷ 4) = 29 - 12 = 17
H: (8 + 1) × 3 = 9 × 3 = 27
I: (77 ÷ 7) × 3 = 11 × 3 = 33
J: 33 ÷ (20 - 9) = 33 ÷ 11 = 3
K: (5 + 15) × 2 = 20 × 2 = 40
L: 103 - (9 × 9) = 103 - 81 = 22
M: (15 × 1) ÷ 3 = 15 ÷ 3 = 5

Now the second column:

N: (19 × 5) ÷ 5 = 95 ÷ 5 = 19
O: 44 ÷ (16 - 12) = 44 ÷ 4 = 11
P: (72 ÷ 9) × 2 = 8 × 2 = 16
Q: 12 × (4 ÷ 2) = 12 × 2 = 24
R: (81 ÷ 9) - 9 = 9 - 9 = 0
S: 144 ÷ (3 × 4) = 144 ÷ 12 = 12
T: (3 + 1) × 8 = 4 × 8 = 32
U: (5 + 5) × 3 = 10 × 3 = 30
V: 27 - (108 ÷ 12) = 27 - 9 = 18
W: 35 ÷ (45 ÷ 9) = 35 ÷ 5 = 7
X: 120 - (10 × 10) = 120 - 100 = 20
Y: 30 + (9 - 4) = 30 + 5 = 35
Z: (63 ÷ 7) × 4 = 9 × 4 = 36

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Step 2: Match numbers to letters

We now have a key:

- A=4, B=14, C=2, D=6, E=1, F=15, G=17, H=27, I=33, J=3, K=40, L=22, M=5
- N=19, O=11, P=16, Q=24, R=0, S=12, T=32, U=30, V=18, W=7, X=20, Y=35, Z=36

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Step 3: Decode the secret code lines

First line:
4 16 0 33 22 → A P R I L → “APRIL”

Second line:
12 27 11 7 1 0 12 → S H O W E R S → “SHOWERS”

Third line:
10 0 33 19 17 → ? Wait — we don’t have a letter for 10! Let’s check our list again.

Wait — did we miss any? Let’s double-check all calculations.

Actually, looking back — we didn’t assign a letter to 10. But in the third line, first number is 10. That’s a problem.

Hold on — let’s recheck if any expression equals 10.

Looking through:

Is there any expression that gives 10?

Check W: 35 ÷ (45 ÷ 9) = 35 ÷ 5 = 7 → correct
V: 27 - (108 ÷ 12) = 27 - 9 = 18 → correct
U: 30 → correct
T: 32 → correct
S: 12 → correct
R: 0 → correct
Q: 24 → correct
P: 16 → correct
O: 11 → correct
N: 19 → correct
M: 5 → correct
L: 22 → correct
K: 40 → correct
J: 3 → correct
I: 33 → correct
H: 27 → correct
G: 17 → correct
F: 15 → correct
E: 1 → correct
D: 6 → correct
C: 2 → correct
B: 14 → correct
A: 4 → correct
Z: 36 → correct
Y: 35 → correct
X: 20 → correct

None equal 10. Hmm.

Wait — maybe I made a mistake in decoding.

Look at the third line:
10 0 33 19 17

But 10 isn’t assigned. Unless... perhaps it's a typo or I missed something.

Wait — look at the fourth line:
5 4 35 15 22 11 7 1 0 12

That’s: M A Y F L O W E R S → “MAYFLOWERS”

Ah! So 5=M, 4=A, 35=Y, 15=F, 22=L, 11=O, 7=W, 1=E, 0=R, 12=S → “MAYFLOWERS”

So 10 must be part of another word.

Back to third line: 10 0 33 19 17

If 0=R, 33=I, 19=N, 17=G → so last four are RING

Then 10 must be the first letter of a 5-letter word ending in “RING”

What spring-related word ends with “RING”? Like “SPRING”, but S=12, not 10.

Wait — maybe 10 is “B”? But B=14.

Wait — let’s check if any expression was miscalculated.

What about J: 33 ÷ (20 - 9) = 33 ÷ 11 = 3 → correct

What about C: 16 ÷ (56 ÷ 7) = 16 ÷ 8 = 2 → correct

Wait — what about W? 35 ÷ (45 ÷ 9) = 35 ÷ 5 = 7 → correct

Perhaps 10 is not from the given letters? But the directions say “once each letter has a numerical value, write the letter above the number.”

Maybe I missed a letter? The alphabet goes A to Z — we have all 26.

Unless... wait — let’s look at the fifth line:

4 19 6 1 18 1 0 35 32 27 33 19 17 12

Break it down:

4=A, 19=N, 6=D → “AND”

Then 1=E, 18=V, 1=E, 0=R, 35=Y, 32=T, 27=H, 33=I, 19=N, 17=G, 12=S → “EVERYTHING’S”

Wait — “EVERYTHINGS” without apostrophe? Or “EVERYTHING S”?

Actually: E V E R Y T H I N G S → “EVERYTHINGS” — probably meant to be “EVERYTHING’S” but written as one word.

So 18=V — which we have from V: 27 - (108 ÷ 12) = 27 - 9 = 18 → correct.

Now sixth line:
33 19 10 22 11 11 5

33=I, 19=N → “IN”

Then 10=?, 22=L, 11=O, 11=O, 5=M → “LOOM”? But 10 is still unknown.

Wait — “IN LOOM”? Doesn’t make sense.

Perhaps “IN BLOOM”? But B=14, not 10.

Wait — what if 10 is “B”? But we calculated B=14.

Let me recalculate B: (12 × 2) - 10 = 24 - 10 = 14 → correct.

Unless the worksheet has a typo? Or perhaps I misread an expression.

Wait — look at the third line again: 10 0 33 19 17

And sixth line: 10 22 11 11 5

If 10 is “B”, then third line would be “BRING” — which makes sense! Spring brings flowers, etc.

But B=14, not 10.

Unless... did I miscalculate B?

(12 × 2) - 10 = 24 - 10 = 14 — yes.

What if the expression for B is different? No, it’s clearly written.

Another idea: perhaps 10 is “J”? J=3 — no.

Wait — let’s list all values we have:

From above:

A=4
B=14
C=2
D=6
E=1
F=15
G=17
H=27
I=33
J=3
K=40
L=22
M=5
N=19
O=11
P=16
Q=24
R=0
S=12
T=32
U=30
V=18
W=7
X=20
Y=35
Z=36

No 10.

But in the code, 10 appears twice: in third line and sixth line.

In third line: positions 1, and in sixth line position 3.

If we assume that 10 should be “B”, even though calculation says 14, that doesn't help.

Wait — perhaps I made a mistake in R? R=(81÷9)-9=9-9=0 — correct.

Another thought: maybe the number 10 corresponds to a letter not listed? But all letters A-Z are given.

Unless... let's check if any expression equals 10.

Try W again: 35 ÷ (45 ÷ 9) = 35 ÷ 5 = 7 — correct.

What about V: 27 - (108 ÷ 12) = 27 - 9 = 18 — correct.

What about U: (5+5)×3=30 — correct.

Perhaps Q: 12 × (4 ÷ 2) = 12 × 2 = 24 — correct.

Wait — what about P: (72 ÷ 9) × 2 = 8 × 2 = 16 — correct.

Maybe O: 44 ÷ (16 - 12) = 44 ÷ 4 = 11 — correct.

Perhaps N: (19×5)÷5=95÷5=19 — correct.

I think there might be a typo in the worksheet, or perhaps I need to consider that 10 is "B" even though it's 14.

But let's look at the context.

The first two lines: APRIL SHOWERS

Fourth line: MAYFLOWERS

Fifth line: AND EVERYTHINGS (probably "EVERYTHING'S")

Sixth line: IN ???

Third line: ??? RING

Common phrase: "April showers bring May flowers"

Oh! "BRING"!

So third line should be "BRING" — which is B R I N G

B=14, R=0, I=33, N=19, G=17

But the numbers given are 10 0 33 19 17

So 10 should be B, but B=14, not 10.

Unless the expression for B is wrong.

Let me double-check B: (12 × 2) - 10 = 24 - 10 = 14 — yes.

Perhaps the expression is (12 + 2) - 10 = 14 - 10 = 4? But that's A.

Or (12 × 2) - 14 = 24 - 14 = 10 — ah! If it were minus 14 instead of 10, it would be 10.

But it's written as -10.

Perhaps it's a common error, and we should use 10 for B.

Similarly, in sixth line: IN BLOOM — B=10, L=22, O=11, O=11, M=5 — "BLOOM"

Yes! "IN BLOOM" makes perfect sense.

So likely, there's a typo in the worksheet, and B should be 10, but according to calculation it's 14.

But let's see if any other letter could be 10.

What about J? 3 — no.

C? 2 — no.

D? 6 — no.

E? 1 — no.

F? 15 — no.

G? 17 — no.

H? 27 — no.

I? 33 — no.

K? 40 — no.

L? 22 — no.

M? 5 — no.

N? 19 — no.

O? 11 — no.

P? 16 — no.

Q? 24 — no.

R? 0 — no.

S? 12 — no.

T? 32 — no.

U? 30 — no.

V? 18 — no.

W? 7 — no.

X? 20 — no.

Y? 35 — no.

Z? 36 — no.

Only possibility is that B is intended to be 10, but calculation shows 14.

Perhaps the expression for B is (12 + 2) - 4 = 10, but it's written as (12 × 2) - 10.

Another idea: maybe "10" in the code is a mistake, and it should be 14.

Let's try that.

Third line: 14 0 33 19 17 → B R I N G → "BRING" — perfect!

Sixth line: 33 19 14 22 11 11 5 → I N B L O O M → "IN BLOOM" — also perfect!

And 14 is B, which matches our calculation.

So probably, in the code, where it says "10", it should be "14".

Likely a printing error in the worksheet.

Because otherwise, it doesn't make sense.

With that correction:

Third line: 14 0 33 19 17 → B R I N G

Sixth line: 33 19 14 22 11 11 5 → I N B L O O M

Now let's decode all lines with this fix.

First line: 4 16 0 33 22 → A P R I L → "APRIL"

Second line: 12 27 11 7 1 0 12 → S H O W E R S → "SHOWERS"

Third line: 14 0 33 19 17 → B R I N G → "BRING" [assuming 14 instead of 10]

Fourth line: 5 4 35 15 22 11 7 1 0 12 → M A Y F L O W E R S → "MAYFLOWERS"

Fifth line: 4 19 6 1 18 1 0 35 32 27 33 19 17 12 → A N D E V E R Y T H I N G S → "AND EVERYTHINGS" (probably "EVERYTHING'S")

Sixth line: 33 19 14 22 11 11 5 → I N B L O O M → "IN BLOOM"

So the full message is:

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAYFLOWERS AND EVERYTHINGS IN BLOOM

Which is a play on the saying "April showers bring May flowers", and "everything's in bloom".

Perfect.

So despite the apparent typo in the code (writing 10 instead of 14), we can infer it should be 14 for B.

Therefore, the decoded message is:

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAYFLOWERS AND EVERYTHINGS IN BLOOM

But to be precise, since the worksheet has "10" in those places, but logically it must be 14, and B=14, we'll go with that.

Final Answer:

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAYFLOWERS AND EVERYTHINGS IN BLOOM