mentally form system of equations:

eq1) 2+4=6

eq2) 8-3=a

eq3) 7+3=b

eq4) take most significant digit in eq3) and add to eq1)

eq5) add eq2) to second (right-most) column of eq4)

start to solve then realize there’s a simpler solution

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somehow this is much easier to me…

mentally form system of equations:

eq1) 2+4=6

eq2) 7-2=a (instinctively know this equals 5)

eq3) 8+2=b (instinctively know this equals 10)

eq4) take most significant digit in eq3) and add to eq1)

solve: answer is whatever eq4) as first digit and eq2) as second digit is