If you’re like me, you’ll be grateful that you haven’t had to solve an algebraic issue or figure out a challenging arithmetic sum since high school.

I am fully aware that while some individuals, including myself, are wired to despise math, others are wired to love it. I prefer to think of myself as a creative soul rather than a rational one. However, everyone is unique.

I have, however, taken an odd delight in completing internet problems when and where I encounter them, even though I surely didn’t enjoy doing arithmetic in stuffy classes full of misbehaving children. Naturally, I complete everything at my own pace and without any sense of urgency, but I’ve completely fallen in love with the process of solving online puzzles and riddles.

And I am aware that I am not alone. No, it seems that there are a lot of people who take great satisfaction in their ability to identify patterns and solve difficult mathematical problems.

In order to achieve this, we made the decision to challenge the readers’ intelligence with a bran-teasing problem that has left many people online baffled.

Have you put on your thinking cap? Are you prepared for the mathematical gymnastics exercise this week? I sincerely hope so. because it’s about to happen:

Given the equations 1+4=5, 2+5=12, and, what is 5+8?

It might be simpler if you see it in writing like this:

1 + 4 = 5.
2 + 5 = 12 3 + 6 = 21 5 + 8 =?

This specific issue seems to have left a significant section of the internet perplexed, with many individuals disagreeing over the right answer. Naturally, a lot of it depends on how you approach the exercise and the precise strategy you use to attempt and figure out the correct answer.

And the main point? There are multiple right answers! If our research is any indication, there are actually quite a few. Here are five different approaches to solving the problem whether you’ve tried it yourself and want to know if you got it right or if, like me, you were finally so frustrated that you just need the answer.

The first solution

1 + 4 = 5.
12 = 2 + 5 = 2 + 2(5)
21 = 3 + 6 = 3 + 3(6)
15 = 5 + 8 = 5 + 5(8) = 45
A + A(B) = C ALGORITHM ANSWER = 45

The second solution

1 plus 4 = 1 plus 4 plus (0) = 5.
12 = 2 + 5 = 2 + 5 + (5)
3 plus 6 = 3 plus 6 plus (12) = 21
5 plus 8 is 5 plus 8 plus (21) = 34.
ALGORITHM: where C’ is the prior response, A + B + C’ = C
34 is the answer.

The Third Solution

1 + 4 = 5 = 5.
5 + 2 + (5) = 12 = 2 + 5.
(7 + 2) + (12) = 21 = 3 + 6.
9 + 2 + (21) + 5 + 8 = 32
For {X=5, C = X + C’, X = X+2};, the algorithm is as follows: C’ is the prior response. The equation does not use A or B, hence the answer is 32.

The Fourth Solution

1 + 4 = 5.
7 (base 5) = 12 (2 + 5)
9 (base 4) = 21 (3 + 6)
13 (base 3) = 111 (5 + 
For {X=6, C = (A + B)^(10 -> X), X -1}, the algorithm (Base 6, Base 5, Base 4, etc.) The first response
111 is the answer.

The Fifth Solution

1 + 4 = 5.
7 (base 5) = 12 (2 + 5)
9 (base 4) = 21 (3 + 6)
11 (base 3) = 102 (4 + 7)
5 + 8 = 13 (also known as binary, or base 2) = 1101.
For {X=6, C = (A + B)^(10 -> X), X -1}, the algorithm shows that Base 6 is the first answer, followed by Base 5, Base 4, etc., including “missing” integers.
1101 is the answer.

What response did you receive? Which of the following was it? Please share your thoughts in the Facebook comments section!