Seemingly easy math problem has TikTok users stumped

Basic addition is pretty easy, right? Wrong.

A math problem going viral on TikTok right now seems easy to figure out, but it has even the smartest users stumped.

Here’s how it goes:

  • Start with 1,000.
  • Add 40 to it.
  • Add another 1,000.
  • Add 30 to it.
  • Add another 1,000.
  • Add 20 to it.
  • Add another 1,000.
  • Add 10 to it.
Credit: “Senhora Do Destino”/Rede Globo

Did you get 5,000? You are not alone, but you are wrong.

The answer is 4,100.

Most people get tripped up at the final step. When your mind has to add 10 to 4,090, it can skip straight to 5,000.

TikTok users used the problem to quiz their friends and family members, and the results have been tense.

Some commenters admitted defeat.

“I will never trust my mind again,” one user wrote.

Others didn’t think it was that hard.

“I’m not good at math, but I got the answer right,” one user said.

Whether you were stumped or not, the true winner here is the calculator.

If you enjoyed this story, you might also like reading about this man who went viral for asking his customers math questions.

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