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Published 13:04 IST, October 7th 2024

Most Adults Cannot Solve This 5th Grade Math Exam Question. Can You?

The problem asks for the total number of pages in a book after reading a specific number of pages over three consecutive days.

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The problem asks for the total number of pages in a book after reading a specific number of pages over three consecutive days. | Image: Reddit

Viral News: An easy yet mind-boggling math problem for 5th-grade students has left many adults puzzled after it was shared on Reddit.

The problem asks for the total number of pages in a book after reading a specific number of pages over three consecutive days.

The problem reads: "Klein read 30 pages of a book on Monday and 1/8 of the book on Tuesday. He finished the remaining 1/4 of the book on Wednesday. How many pages are in the book?"

Redditors were quick to react:

"I always think to myself, 'Ugh. People should really be tested with basic skills before they're allowed to go out into society.' And then I see this and realize I shouldn't go out into society," one user wrote.

"And now we can see why Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader worked as a TV show!" another remarked.

"Today I learned I would fail fifth-grade math," a third person wrote

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Here's The Answer To The Question:

Reddit user 'NorthernSparrow' explained: "The key to solving the problem is realizing that, given the fractions, our reader read exactly five-eighths of the book on Monday."

"It has a solution, and it's not that hard to solve. It does assume that Klein began reading the book on Monday, but it's just a problem involving proportion: Between Tuesday and Wednesday, Klein read a combined 3/8 of the book, which means he read 5/8 of it (30 pages) on Monday. No one's trying to make people feel stupid by pointing out the solution; the adults who can't solve it do that all on their own."

Updated 13:12 IST, October 7th 2024

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