This apparently ‘simple’ maths quiz question is going viral and now my head hurts

Right now there is an apparently “simple” maths quiz question going viral, and it’s left us all wondering if we should head back to school. This is what simple is in some people’s eyes? Am I missing something?

Every now and then maths equations and sums go viral, and most of the time they leave us wondering if we deserve any qualifications, but this one is actually baffling me. Like, I didn’t even know where to begin.

The post in question has had over five million views, and people in the comments are mainly confused, whilst a few showoffs have said it’s easy, and shared their answers. It’s had over 1,500 retweets and quote tweets, and nearly 4,000 people are fighting in the comments over it. Here’s an explanation of how to actually work it out.

Ok, so what is the simple maths quiz question and what actually is the answer?

Right, so the question is a pattern, where you have to work out what’s going on to find out the answer – it’s not just a straight forward sum. It states: 2+3 = 10, 8+4 = 96, 7+2 = 63, 6+5 = 66 and then asks, 9+5 = ???

Obviously, at first glance there is no correlation between the answers, because they don’t straight forward answer the questions. But, there is a pattern and a quick way to work this one out.

All you have to do (apparently, I didn’t manage work it out), is times the sum by the first number that appears in it. For example, 2(2+3) = 10, 8(8+4) = 96 and so on. This would give you the answer to 9 + 5 as 126, as 9(9+5) = 126.

It’s easy when you know it!

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• What is 2x+6=10? The maths equation scrambling everyone’s brains right now

• What is 8 ÷ 2(2 + 2)? The answer to the maths question dividing the world

• Take this maths test and we’ll tell you what qualification you’d get now

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