The objective is to find the smallest integer that satisfies two conditions:
The set of available digits is {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}. Let's calculate the sum of all these ten distinct digits:
Sum = $0 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 = 45$.
This sum matches the target sum required by the question.
To find the smallest number, we prioritize using the fewest possible digits. If multiple combinations have the same number of digits, we arrange them to form the smallest value (smallest digits at the beginning).
Using all ten distinct digits (0-9) results in a sum of 45. To form the smallest possible 10-digit number, we arrange these digits in ascending order, ensuring the first digit is not zero. The smallest arrangement is 1023456789.
Consider using 9 distinct digits. The sum of digits 1 through 9 is $1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 = 45$. This set of digits {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9} sums to 45.
The smallest number formed using these 9 digits is achieved by arranging them in ascending order: 123456789.
Could any other set of 9 distinct digits sum to 45? If we remove any digit from {0, 1, ..., 9} except 0, the sum is less than 45. For example, removing 1 gives a sum of 44. Removing 9 gives a sum of 36. The only way to get 9 distinct digits summing to 45 is by using the digits 1 through 9.
Could we use 8 or fewer digits? The maximum sum possible with 8 distinct digits is $9+8+7+6+5+4+3+2 = 44$, which is less than 45. Therefore, the minimum number of digits required is 9 (using 1-9) or 10 (using 0-9).
We compare the smallest numbers formed in each case:
A 9-digit number is always smaller than a 10-digit number. Therefore, 123456789 is the smallest number with distinct digits whose digits sum to 45.
If $\oplus \div \odot = 2$, $\oplus \div \triangle = 3$, $\odot + \triangle = 5$, and $\Delta \times \otimes = 10$,
then the value of $(\otimes - \oplus)^2$ is: