Another maths test is going viral, and everyone is stuck between two answers

Another day, and another maths question going viral on the internet and driving us all crazy. This time the maths test asks one simple question, 3 =? Simple? Not really.

Obviously there is a sequence leading up to it which has left a few people baffled, and nobody seems to be able to decide between two answers. So, what did you get and what actually is the answer? Here’s it solved (I hope).

This maths test asks what 3 =, so what is it?

The maths test question shows you that 9=90, 8=72, 7=56 and 6=42 so asks 3=? The post has been viewed over a million times, and has over 4,000 replies, with most of them being people discussing two possible answers. People are torn between if the answer is 12 or 18.

One person said: “3 = 18 Because… 9 × 10 = 90, 8 × 9 = 72, 7 × 8 = 56, 6 × 7 = 42, Sooooo 3 × 6 = 18.” But, what if part of the sequence has been cut out? Are we supposed to take into consideration what 5 and 4 might equal?

The same person added: “Unless… They mean to carry it numerically downward to 5, 4, and then 3 in which case it would be: 5 × 6 = 30, 4× 5 = 20, 3 × 4 = 12”.

So, in short the answer could be either 12 or 18, depending on how you interpret the sequence of the question. But, taking it as a numerical sequence or algorithm question, the more logical answer would be 12.

“I would have gone for ‘finding a formula’ so then would be: (n+1) * n,” one person said. “And the answer would be 12. Didn’t think about the other option. Clever.”

Did you get it? Either way, my brain now hurts and I’m questioning if I ever learned a single thing about maths at school. Great. I need a nap.

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