Can You Solve This Tricky Viral Math Problem

We all love a good brain teaser, especially when it involves math—whether we admit it or not. A tricky math problem recently went viral, leaving the internet divided and proving once again that even simple-looking equations can be deceptive.

My Math Struggles & A Challenge

Here’s a quick personal anecdote: I recently started preparing for the GRE and realized that I hadn’t taken a formal math class in nearly nine years. Confidence? Gone. My quantitative reasoning skills? Rusty at best. So, I decided to brush up by taking online high school math courses, starting from the absolute basics.

When I came across this viral math puzzle that was stumping the internet, I thought, “This is my moment! Let’s see if I still have my 9th-grade math chops!” Spoiler: I did not.

The Viral Math Puzzle Taking the Internet by Storm

The problem originally surfaced in Japan, where researchers found that only 60% of people in their 20s managed to solve it correctly. It quickly spread online, turning into yet another viral challenge because, apparently, we love testing our brains with tricky equations (or we just enjoy arguing over the answers).

At first glance, the problem looks simple. But the devil is in the details. My gut told me there was some sort of trick involved—it seemed too easy. However, instead of embarrassing myself by attempting it publicly, I turned to the internet for guidance. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that someone, somewhere, has already tackled your problem and made an instructional video about it. So, I spent my morning watching people do math on YouTube. Exciting stuff.

The Math Problem:

6 ÷ 2(1 + 2) = ?

Go ahead, solve it. I’ll wait.

Video : Viral problem from Japan

Common Wrong Answers

If you got 1 or 9, you’re not alone. Many people arrived at these answers because of a little acronym called PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction).

You may remember PEMDAS from school—or perhaps the mnemonic “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.” The rule dictates that you must solve problems in this specific order:

  • Parentheses
  • Exponents
  • Multiplication & Division (from left to right)
  • Addition & Subtraction (from left to right)

So, following PEMDAS, some people calculated it as:

  1. Solve inside the parentheses: (1 + 2) = 3
  2. Rewrite the problem: 6 ÷ 2(3)
  3. Some then treated 2(3) as a single term and multiplied first: 6 ÷ 6 = 1

However, others applied division before multiplication:

  1. 6 ÷ 2 = 3
  2. Then, 3 × 3 = 9

Both groups were confident in their logic, but only one approach was correct.

The Correct Answer

The correct answer is 9. Here’s why:

Step 1: Solve the Parentheses First

(1 + 2) = 3

Now the equation is rewritten as:
6 ÷ 2(3)

Step 2: Follow the Order of Operations

According to PEMDAS, division and multiplication are performed from left to right (since they share the same level of priority in the hierarchy).

  1. 6 ÷ 2 = 3
  2. 3 × 3 = 9

Wait… Isn’t the Answer 1?

Some people argue that implicit multiplication (like 2(3)) takes precedence over division. However, modern mathematical notation treats multiplication and division equally. Since they appear side by side in the equation, we solve left to right.

If the equation had been written as:
6 ÷ (2 × 3)

Then, you would multiply first and get:
6 ÷ 6 = 1

But because the given equation lacks parentheses around 2(3), the correct answer remains 9.

Why People Get It Wrong

The confusion stems from different ways of interpreting notation and how we were taught order of operations. In some older textbooks, implicit multiplication (like 2(3)) was given higher priority than division, leading to the alternative answer of 1. However, under modern mathematical conventions, division and multiplication hold equal weight and should be solved left to right.

Video : 13 Riddles That Are Trickier Than They Seem

Math Rules Are Not Always Universal

Believe it or not, different countries and academic institutions teach math slightly differently. Some older math textbooks might suggest treating multiplication next to parentheses as having higher priority, while others follow the standard left-to-right rule. This is why debates like this never really die down—people were simply taught different methods!

How to Avoid Future Math Confusion

  1. Always follow the standard order of operations – PEMDAS (or BODMAS, if you learned it that way).
  2. If in doubt, add brackets – Parentheses make everything clearer and help prevent confusion.
  3. Be consistent – If you’re solving problems with others, use the same approach so that everyone gets the same answer.
  4. Check multiple sources – Sometimes, even textbooks disagree. Looking at different explanations can help clarify tricky concepts.

Final Thoughts

This viral math problem is a perfect example of how simple-looking equations can spark endless debate. The way you approach it depends on how you learned math, but if you apply PEMDAS correctly, the answer is 9—at least according to current conventions.

So, did you get it right, or are you questioning everything you thought you knew about math? Either way, at least we can all agree that math is a lot trickier than it looks!

My Best Friend Asked Me to Watch Her Kids for an Hour – I Didn’t See Her Again for 7 Years

Melanie agrees to watch her best friend’s kids for an hour, but she doesn’t return. Melanie files a missing person report and takes on the role of mother. Seven years later, a seaside encounter with a familiar face shatters the family’s newfound peace, reigniting old wounds and unresolved emotions.

I’m Melanie, and I want to tell you about the most significant day in my life. I had just gotten home from a grueling day at the office.

A woman rubbing at her temples | Source: Pexels

A woman rubbing at her temples | Source: Pexels

All I wanted was to kick back with a glass of wine and lose myself in some cheesy rom-com. You know, the kind where you don’t have to think too hard, just laugh at the predictable plot and cry a little at the happy ending.

But life, as it often does, had other plans.

I was just about to hit play when there was a knock at the door. I wasn’t expecting anyone, so I hesitated, peeking through the peephole.

A woman standing by a door | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing by a door | Source: Midjourney

To my surprise, it was Christina, my best friend. And she wasn’t alone. She had her two kids, Dylan, who was five, and baby Mike, barely two months old, bundled up in her arms.

“Melanie, I need your help,” she said, her voice trembling. “I have to see a doctor urgently. Can you watch the boys for an hour? Just an hour, I promise.”

Chris looked desperate, and honestly, it scared me. She was always the strong one, the one who had it all together. Seeing her like that, so vulnerable, was jarring.

A woman standing on a porch with her kids | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing on a porch with her kids | Source: Midjourney

I felt a knot form in my stomach, but I couldn’t say no to her. How could I?

“Of course, Chris,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Come in, let’s get you sorted.”

She handed me baby Mike and kissed Dylan on the forehead.

“I’ll be back soon,” she said, her eyes wide with an urgency I’d never seen before. And then she was gone, leaving me with two kids and a head full of questions.

A woman standing in a doorway with two kids | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in a doorway with two kids | Source: Midjourney

That hour turned into two. Then three. Night fell, and Chris still hadn’t returned.

I called her phone repeatedly, but it went straight to voicemail. The unease grew into full-blown panic. I put the boys to bed, trying to keep my worry from spilling over onto them.

Days passed with no word from Chris. I filed a missing person report, hoping the police could find her quickly. In the meantime, I was left to care for Dylan and Mike. Temporarily, I told myself. Just until Chris comes back.

A woman staring thoughtfully out a window | Source: Pexels

A woman staring thoughtfully out a window | Source: Pexels

But she didn’t come back. Weeks turned into months, and the boys started to feel more like my own kids than Chris’s. They began calling me “Mom,” a habit that started naturally and felt strangely right.

The first time Dylan called me Mom was at his school’s parent-teacher meeting. He ran up to his friends and proudly introduced me, “This is my mom!”

My heart nearly burst. I knew then that I couldn’t just be their temporary guardian anymore.

A woman hugging a boy | Source: Midjourney

A woman hugging a boy | Source: Midjourney

They needed stability, a real home, and someone who would be there for them always. So, I started the legal process to adopt them. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

Mike’s first steps were a cause for celebration, a moment of pure joy that we shared together. Dylan’s first soccer game, where he scored a goal and ran to me shouting, “Did you see that, Mom? Did you see?”

Those moments stitched us together as a family.

Fast forward seven years, and we went to a seaside town for vacation.

Seaside town | Source: Pexels

Seaside town | Source: Pexels

The ocean breeze was refreshing, and the boys were laughing, carefree and happy. We walked along the shore, collecting shells and splashing in the waves. It was perfect.

Then, out of nowhere, Dylan froze. He pointed to a woman in the crowd.

“Is that her?” he asked, his voice shaking. I followed his gaze and felt my heart stop. It was Chris. Older, worn, but unmistakably Chris.

“Yes, it is,” I whispered, unable to believe my eyes.

Dylan didn’t wait.

A shocked boy on a beach | Source: Midjourney

A shocked boy on a beach | Source: Midjourney

He took off running toward her, leaving Mike and me standing in the sand, our breaths caught in our throats. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched my son sprint towards the woman who had left him so long ago.

“Why did you leave us?” Dylan shouted, his voice carrying over the sound of the waves. “Do you know what you did? We waited for you! Mom waited for you!”

The woman turned, eyes wide with shock, but then her expression hardened.

A woman on a beach | Source: Pexels

A woman on a beach | Source: Pexels

“You must have me confused with someone else,” she said, her voice flat and devoid of emotion. “I’m not who you think I am.”

Dylan stood his ground, tears streaming down his face. “LIAR! I DON’T CARE IF YOU PRETEND THAT YOU DON’T KNOW ME, OR SAY I’M CONFUSED! I KNOW THE TRUTH. YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER, SHE IS!”

He turned then and pointed at me, his eyes burning with a fierce protectiveness that made my heart ache.

I walked over, holding Mike close.

A woman holding a boy on a beach | Source: Midjourney

A woman holding a boy on a beach | Source: Midjourney

“Chris, would you say something, please? We deserve to know what happened,” I said.

But she turned away, staring out at the ocean with a face like stone.

I placed my hand on Dylan’s shoulder.

“Dylan, let’s go,” I said softly, but he shook his head, not done yet.

“When I grow up,” Dylan continued, his voice breaking but strong, “I’ll make a lot of money and buy my true mom a house and a car and do anything to make her smile! Because she deserves it! And you deserve to spend your whole life alone!”

A boy shouting | Source: Midjourney

A boy shouting | Source: Midjourney

With that, he turned on his heel, leaving Chris—or whoever she claimed to be—standing there, stunned and silent.

We left the beach in silence, the weight of the encounter pressing down on us. The boys were quiet, their usual chatter replaced by the heavy silence of unresolved emotions.

There was no cheering the boys up as we headed to the hotel to check-in. It took a while, but eventually, we headed to our room.

I was relieved to get away from the beach, but the sight that greeted us wasn’t comforting.

A hotel room | Source: Pexels

A hotel room | Source: Pexels

The bathroom was a mess, clearly untouched by housekeeping.

“Just what we need,” I muttered under my breath. I picked up the phone and called the front desk. “Hi, we just checked into room 212, and the bathroom hasn’t been cleaned. Can you send someone up, please?”

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to find a cleaning lady standing there, her head down, face hidden by a worn-out cap.

“Come in,” I said, stepping aside.

A hotel maid standing in a corridor | Source: Midjourney

A hotel maid standing in a corridor | Source: Midjourney

She moved slowly, deliberately, and something about her seemed familiar.

When she finally looked up, I gasped. It was Chris again!

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I yelped.

“What are you doing here?” Dylan said, his voice a mix of disbelief and anger. “Are you following us?”

Chris—or Alice, as her name tag read—looked like she was about to collapse.

“I… I work here. I came to clean the bathroom,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “But now… I’m sorry, Melanie. I never meant for any of this to happen.”

An emotional woman | Source: Pexels

An emotional woman | Source: Pexels

“I was desperate when I came to you that day,” she continued as tears ran down her face. “I’d sunk into a real dark place and I just… I couldn’t hold myself together anymore, let alone take care of two kids.”

“Then you should’ve asked for help,” I snapped. “I would’ve done anything I could…”

My voice trailed off as I stared into Chris’s eyes. The truth hit me like a truck: The woman I’d always thought was so strong had been struggling in secret, unwilling or unable to reach out for help.

A woman crying | Source: Pexels

A woman crying | Source: Pexels

Her leaving the boys with me was the most she could do. It was her last, desperate attempt to save her children and herself. And it broke my heart.

“It never had to be this way, Chris.”

“There was no other option,” she replied, her voice heavy with regret.

Dylan’s face hardened, and he stepped in between Chris and me. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a dollar, pressing it into Chris’s hand.

“Don’t worry about the bathroom,” he said coldly. “We will clean it ourselves.”

A one dollar bill | Source: Pexels

A one dollar bill | Source: Pexels

Chris stood there, tears welling up in her eyes, as Dylan shut the door in her face. He then turned to me, and I pulled him into a tight hug.

I held my boys close, comforting them as best I could. A part of me was grateful we’d run into Chris. We finally had some closure on why she did what she did, even if Dylan and Mike were too young to understand.

“Can we go home, Mom?” Dylan asked. “I don’t want to see her again.”

A woman hugging two young brothers | Source: Midjourney

A woman hugging two young brothers | Source: Midjourney

We left within the hour.

Back home, life slowly returned to normal. The encounter with Chris became a past chapter, something we had faced and left behind.

We had survived abandonment, heartache, and uncertainty, but we had come out the other side stronger and more united than ever. Our family was a testament to the power of love and resilience, and as I watched my boys play, I knew we could face anything together.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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