{"id":2740,"date":"2025-12-20T15:28:52","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T15:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/badvibes.live\/?p=2740"},"modified":"2025-12-20T15:28:52","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T15:28:52","slug":"math-problem-leaves-the-internet-scratching-their-heads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/badvibes.live\/?p=2740","title":{"rendered":"Math problem leaves the internet scratching their heads"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you\u2019re anything like me, you\u2019ll be thankful that the last time you had to work out a vexing math sum or tackle an algebraic problem was way back in high school.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I\u2019m well aware that some people are wired to enjoy math, just as certain others (myself included) are wired to loath it. I like to think of myself as more of a creative soul than a logically-thinking one. But hey, everyone\u2019s different.<\/p>\n

That said, while I certainly had no love for tackling math in stuffy classrooms packed full of disobedient kids, I have taken something of an unlikely pleasure in solving online problems when and where I find them. It\u2019s all done in my own sweet time of course (and absolutely not in any sort of hurry), but the process of working my way through internet riddles and puzzles is something I\u2019m now quite taken with\u2026<\/p>\n

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\u2026 and I know I\u2019m not the only one. No, it appears there are a whole host of folks out there who pride themselves on being able to spot patterns and work out challenging math problems.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s to that end that we decided to put the minds of our beloved readers to the test, with a bran-teasing issue that\u2019s left plenty of people across the internet scratching their heads.<\/p>\n

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So, got your thinking cap on? Ready for this week\u2019s exercise in mathematical gymnastics? I certainly hope so\u2026 because here it comes:<\/p>\n

If 1+4=5, 2+5=12, and , then what is the value of 5+8?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Perhaps it\u2019s easier if you see it written out as follows:<\/p>\n

1+4=5<\/strong>
\n2+5=12<\/strong>
\n3+6=21<\/strong>
\n5+8=?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It appears that this particular problem has left a large portion of the internet scratching their heads, and a lot of people split on what the correct answer actually is. Much of it depends on how you approach the exercise of course; what exact method you employ to try and help you find the right answer.<\/p>\n

And the crux of it all? There\u2019s more than one correct answer! In fact, there are quite a few if our\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0is anything to go by. If you\u2019ve had a go at the problem yourself and want to see if you\u2019ve got it right (or if, like me, you were ultimately left so frustrated that you simply\u00a0have\u00a0<\/em>to be given the answer) see below for five different ways the problem can be tackled.<\/p>\n

Solution one<\/h2>\n

1 + 4 = 5
\n2 + 5 = 2 + 2(5) = 12
\n3 + 6 = 3 + 3(6) = 21
\n5 + 8 = 5 + 5(8) = 45
\nALGORITHM: A + A(B) = C
\nANSWER = 45<\/p>\n

Solution two<\/h2>\n

1 + 4 = 1 + 4 + (0) = 5
\n2 + 5 = 2 + 5 + (5) = 12
\n3 + 6 = 3 + 6 + (12) = 21
\n5 + 8 = 5 + 8 + (21) = 34
\nALGORITHM: A + B + C\u2019 = C, where C\u2019 is the previous answer
\nANSWER = 34<\/p>\n

Solution Three<\/h2>\n

1 + 4 = 5 = 5
\n2 + 5 = (5 + 2) + (5) = 12
\n3 + 6 = (7 + 2) + (12) = 21
\n5 + 8 = (9 + 2) + (21) = 32
\nALGORITHM: for {X=5, C = X + C\u2019 , X = X+2 };, where C\u2019 is the previous answer. A and B not used in equation,
\nANSWER = 32<\/p>\n

Solution Four<\/h2>\n

1 + 4 = 5
\n2 + 5 = 7 (base 5) =12
\n3 + 6 = 9 (base 4) = 21
\n5 + 8 = 13 (base 3) = 111
\nALGORITHM: for {X=6, C = (A + B)^(10 -> X), X -1} (First answer in Base6, then Base 5, then 4, etc\u2026)
\nANSWER = 111<\/p>\n

Solution Five<\/h2>\n

1 + 4 = 5
\n2 + 5 = 7 (base 5) =12
\n3 + 6 = 9 (base 4) = 21
\n4 + 7 = 11 (base 3) = 102
\n5 + 8 = 13 (base 2) (aka binary) = 1101
\nALGORITHM: for {X=6, C = (A + B)^(10 -> X), X -1} (First answer in Base6, then
\nBase 5, then 4, etc\u2026including \u201cmissing\u201d numbers
\nANSWER = 1101<\/p>\n

What answer did you get? Was it any of the above? Do let us know in the comments section on Facebook!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n