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Maths problem has internet stumped

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How are your maths skills?

How about taking a look at this brainteaser?

This problem has gone viral in recent days after being shared on Facebook by one Randall Jones .

The problem in full,
1 + 4 = 5
2 + 5 = 12
3 + 6 = 21
8 + 11 = ?

So – what’s the answer to 8 + 11?

Randall’s post has more than 1.1 million comments so far, and the vast majority of people are suggesting either 40 or 96 as the answer.

So which of those is right – and why?

The solution

Well – either 40 or 96 could be the right answer, depending on how you look at it.

• For the answer to be 40: add the solution to the previous line to the numbers on the next line:

1 + 4 = 5

5 + 2 + 5 = 12

12 + 3 + 6 = 21

21 + 8 + 11 = 40

• For the answer to be 96: multiply the first number by the second number, then add the outcome to the first number:

1 + (1 x 4) = 5

2 + (2 x 5) = 12

3 + (3 x 6) = 21

8 + (8 x 11) = 96

35 Responses

  1. I don’t understand how it can be 96 there is no multiplication indicated within this calculation 96 would be overthinking it!!!!!

  2. My answer would either be 40 because if you looked at it

    1 + 4 = 5 LOOK AND COUNT ALL NUMBERS TO ADD UP 5+2+5+3+6+8+11=40

    2 + 5 = 12

    3 + 6 = 21

    8 + 11 = 40

  3. wha? its 19! 11+8=19 1+8=9+10=19! simple! adding the numbers would be 5+12+21+19= 58! and 5+12+21= 49

  4. If it is 96 there has to be brackets so it can’t be 96
    So it is 40 because on all the problems the answer is always the number that was the awnser to the problem be for plus the to numbers you are ment to plush to gether and 21 + 8 + 11 =40
    ?

  5. 19
    Because if it were 40 then there would not be an equals sign and if it were 96 then the equation would specify that

  6. 1 + 4 = 5
    5 + 2 = 7
    7 + 5 = 12
    3 + 6 = 9
    9 + 12 = 21
    8 + 11 = 19
    19 + 21 = 40
    It is so simple I don’t get why people don’t get it
    BTW I am 10

  7. I get how it can be 40 but 96 is nonsense! But at first i didn’t know there was a pattern so I thought it was 19 because 8+11=19.

  8. I don’t think you should be ashamed if you didn’t get it because I asked my teacher and she actually didn’t understand it!

  9. I thought it was 30 because:

    1+4 equals 5
    2+5 equals 12 because 1 plus 2 equals 3 and 3 plus 2 equals 5
    3+6 equals 21 because 2 plus 1 equals 3 and 3 plus 3 equals 6
    8+11 equals 30 because 3 plus 0 equals 3 and 3 plus 8 equals 11.

    That is my theory and it works!!!!

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