The internet has had a field day figuring out what the real answer is to a simple math problem. A Twitter user named Louise Bloxham shared a math problem from a Year 2 (equivalent to the first grade [1] in the US) workbook. The tweet and account are now gone but the problem asked, "There were some people on a train. 19 people get off the train at the first stop. 17 people get on the train. Now there are 63 people on the train. How many people were on the train to begin with?"
If you try solving it yourself, you'll probably get this setup: X - 19 + 17 = 63. All you have to do is solve for x, which gives you 65 as the answer:
@rachelrossiter [2] @LouiseBloxham [3] @MichaelRosenYes [4] It is 65. x - 19 + 17 = 63
Therefore x -2 = 63 ...x = 65. Algebraic solution for a y2 Q.— Robyn Duckworth (@DuckworthRobyn) May 8, 2016 [5]
But if you look further into the comments, users start arguing that the answer is 46, not 65.
@teach_well [6] @carveresque [7] on a teacher's FB group a teacher said it was on the mark scheme as Being 46
— Louise Bloxham (@LouiseBloxham) May 8, 2016 [8]
Other commentators became philosophical and said that the math problem fails to factor in the train driver and inspector:
@PotMoss [9] @MichaelRosenYes [10] @LouiseBloxham [11] Husband says "66, because we've forgotten train driver". But that doesn't factor in inspector...
— Mrs Davison (@Mrs_Dav_I_Son) May 8, 2016 [12]
The situation apparently became too much for one person, who said that everyone was "looking at it algebraically for proof purposes," when it was really just a simple equation.
@LouiseBloxham [13] @MichaelRosenYes [14] Question is perfectly fine. We are looking at it algebraically for proof purposes but it's simple add + sub.
— Olachi Akin (@ixXAkinXxi) May 9, 2016 [15]
Although the math question has stumped some parents and young children [16], the main concern here is not whether or not it can be solved, but if 6- and 7-year-olds should've been asked it. That answer to that question is simple: if there's this much debate about it with adults, then it's not suitable for children.
