![](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/infinitestudent-images/ckeditor_assets/pictures/14356/content_262226.png)
From the image above, we see that
5 matchsticks are required to make
2 and 6 matchsticks are needed to make
6.
So if the number of 2s is taken as '
a' and the number of sixes is taken as '
b',
the number of matchsticks needed to make the 2s
=5×a=5a.
The number of matchsticks needed to make the 6s
=6×b=6b.
Total number of matchsticks
=5a+6b.
In the number
262226, there are
4 '
2's and
2 '
6's.
Hence,
a=4 and
b=2
Therefore, the total number of matchsticks required
=5a+6b=5×4+6×2
=20+12=32