Are you smarter than a 3rd grader? This math problem is perplexing the internet

July 9, 2022

By Kim Komando

Are you obsessed with brainteasers? Us too. Tap or click here for some of our other mind-bending obsessions, too.

If you’re a fan of Reddit’s r/mildlyinfuriating forum, you may already be familiar with the children’s riddle that has set the entire subreddit ablaze with frustration and fury.

Read on to check out the word problem that has users putting their heads together.

The riddle that has Redditors going insane

User u/webguy96 shared the following 10 months ago, a “3rd-grade math problem” snatched out of a traditional textbook and published for all to enjoy:

Jared found these baby birds and needs to care for each of them. Each bird eats about four worms a day. In order to feed them all each day, about how many worms will Jared need to find?

Here is the image that goes with the problem:

How many baby birds? The tiny picture above the question looks like three, although it’s not acknowledged in the body of the question. There is some dispute about how many the illustration contains, as you’ll see in the comment section.

The question comes with four multiple-choice answers: six worms, 10 worms, four worms, or 20 worms. Already, the mind boggles. 

How many days does he need to feed these birds? Can we get some clarification on the actual size of the brood? Where did he find the birds? About four worms a day? Where and why does this number vary? How will we ever go on?

A quick scroll through the comments reveals a heated debate amongst the good people of Reddit. To us, this is where the true underlying entertainment value lies. After spending five minutes indulging in the controversy, we can’t help but think you’ll be inclined to agree.

Mostly, we celebrate this landmark post because it brings us right back to the simplicity of our earliest school days. Come on — the Xeroxed page? The quaint illustration? Reading comprehension issues aside, this humble share is nostalgia on a plate.

So what’s the answer?

Our take? Only Jared knows how many worms he’s going to need to succeed. We won’t spoil the answer for you. Grab a pen and paper and put on your thinking cap. It is only through trial and tribulation that we rise.

Although the original thread has since been archived, the legacy of this show-stopping post lives on to this day. Try your luck at solving it, if you dare. If you’re stumped, we invite you to search Google for the true answer to this age-old question.

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