Challenge: Can you solve this math riddle from middle school – in under 10 seconds?

The older you get, the further your school days drift away. Of course, you learned a great deal in school, and you use it every day, from reading and writing to science and craftsmanship.

But with mathematics, it’s actually a little harder, how much math from their old school days people actually remember?

A good way to keep your brain sharp is with brainteasers. The most common are perhaps crosswords or sudoku puzzles, but all of them accomplish the same goal, mental exercise.

Likewise, another type that really gets you to use your brain, is old school math.

Keeping the brain in good condition is as important as eating healthy and exercising regularly to be in top shape. Lately, on the Internet, plenty of math challenges from, for example, middle school, have been popping around to help everyone remember the good ‘ol days.

What is the last number?

How much do you really remember from the math classes several years ago?

Therefore, the math challenge below has been popping around the internet a lot lately – precisely because not many people can solve it.

Here is the challenge.

In the picture below we can see four numbers. By looking at them, you should be able to calculate the next number, where the question mark is located.

Now look at the picture – and remember that you only have ten seconds to solve it!

Were you able to solve this math challenge? Big congratulations if you were, you really do remember the math from back in school!

If you weren’t, the answer is below the next picture.

Time for the answer

The answer is 96.

How did we get there?

If you look at the first two numbers, we see that the difference between them is 13: 32 + 13 = 45.

In the next number, we see that the difference between them is 15: 45 + 15 = 60.

So that would be 13 + 2 = the difference. You can see where we are going with this.

If we go one step further, the difference now is 17 between the numbers: 60 + 17 = 77. So 15 + 2 = the difference.

Then, using common sense, we can add another 2 for the next difference, which becomes 19.

Then the last parts looks like this: 77 + 19 = 96.

The answer, in conclusion, is 96.

Did you get it right?

Now click that SHARE button and see if your friends can solve this!