Challenge: Can you solve this math problem for middle schoolers – without a calculator?
Classic brain training methods like crosswords or sudoku are well-loved. However, I’ve recently become more drawn to the types of challenges like the one you’ll see below.
These puzzles have been flooding the web lately, probably because they are really fun!
They are classic mathematical problems from our school days.
Solving these math problems can bring a sense of nostalgia as you try to recall the math you learned as a child.
Can you figure out the correct solution?
Here is the challenge, shown in the picture below.
At the top of the picture, we see the task with four possible answers.
Which solution do you think is the correct one?
How did you come up with it?
Take your time and think about it to find the correct solution.
Done? Below you can check if you picked the right number!
The correct answer
The correct answer is B: 12.
Why is 12 the correct answer?
If you remember from your school days, according to the order of operations, you do multiplication before addition and subtraction. So, you start by solving 3 x 3, which equals 9.
Next, we have a simpler math problem: 3 + 9 – 3 + 3.
The answer is therefore 12.
Did you pick the correct number? Congratulations!