Many of us are glad our days of classroom math are long over, but online puzzles are a different story. These brain teasers have a way of drawing people in — especially when there’s more than one possible answer.
One such puzzle has divided the internet:
1 + 4 = 5
2 + 5 = 12
3 + 6 = 21
5 + 8 = ?
At first glance, it seems simple, but the trick lies in the pattern you choose. Depending on the logic applied — whether building on previous answers, multiplying creatively, or even switching number bases — the result can vary.
In fact, there isn’t just one correct answer. Using different methods, people have arrived at answers like 45, 34, 32, 111, and even 1101.
The takeaway? Math puzzles aren’t always about finding the answer — they’re about how you think your way there.