Each of the letters represent a different digit from 0 to 9 in the following alphanumeric subtraction problem:

                                SPACE
                               -  CENT                                
                                  3651

What is the word representing 3651? How about 15631?

Note: Neither S nor C can be 0.

 SPACE = 13296
- CENT =  9645
  3651 =  PETS

 SPACE = 18326
- CENT =  2695
 15631 = STEPS

For the second question, all the other possible solutions, except for STEAS and STECS, do not comprise all the digits that form 15631.

 SPACE = 19236
- CENT =  3605
 15631 = STECS 

Neither STEAS nor STECS are English words, though STECS is an acronym for both Synchronous Terminal Equipment Control System and Solar Thermal Electric Conversion System.

If we can assume that the complete problem title "SPACED OUT CENT" comprises the letters corresponding to all ten digits, we could provide two additional possible solutions given the acceptance of proper nouns and specialized terms (though we might not yet be able to positively identify each letter with its corresponding digit):

ACDENOPSTU = 3487150269 or 3497150268 

 SPACE = 20347
- CENT =  4716
 15631 = NOTAN

NOTAN is a Japanese art/compositional term, meaning "Dark-Light" where dark and light are played against each other in art and imagery.

ACDENOPSTU = 7981634205 
                       
 SPACE = 24791
- CENT =  9160
 15631 = EUNOË
 
EUNOË is a nymph, the name meaning "good mind", sometimes associated with Persephone; or, one of the rivers of Purgatory in Dante's Divine Comedy.

Edited on March 10, 2008, 11:33 pm

Posted by Dej Mar on 2008-03-01 14:44:23