Math can be a love-it-or-hate-it subject, but one thing’s for sure – it can be fun to challenge ourselves with tricky problems. Recently, a math problem has been making the rounds on the internet, leaving many people scratching their heads. The problem seems simple enough:
1+4=5, 2+5=12, and 3+6=21. So, what is 5+8?
At first glance, it might seem like a straightforward math problem. However, as people started sharing their answers, it became clear that there’s more than one way to approach this problem. In fact, there are several different solutions, each with its own algorithm.
Let’s take a look at a few possible solutions. One way to approach this problem is to use the algorithm A + A(B) = C. Using this method, we get:
1 + 4 = 5
2 + 5 = 2 + 2(5) = 12
3 + 6 = 3 + 3(6) = 21
5 + 8 = 5 + 5(8) = 45
So, according to this solution, the answer is 45.
Another approach is to use the algorithm A + B + C’ = C, where C’ is the previous answer. Using this method, we get:
1 + 4 = 1 + 4 + (0) = 5
2 + 5 = 2 + 5 + (5) = 12
3 + 6 = 3 + 6 + (12) = 21
5 + 8 = 5 + 8 + (21) = 34
In this case, the answer is 34.
There are several other solutions, each with its own unique algorithm. Some people have even used base numbers to come up with different answers. For example, one solution uses base 5, base 4, and base 3 to get the answers 12, 21, and 111, respectively.
So, what’s the correct answer? Well, it turns out that there are multiple correct answers, depending on the algorithm used. Whether you got 45, 34, or one of the other answers, the important thing is to understand the reasoning behind it.
What do you think? Did you come up with one of the solutions above, or do you have a different approach? Share your thoughts in the comments!
