A math brainteaser challenges people to solve the matchstick equation in just two moves.
The puzzle uses matches to create an equation that represents 3 + 3 = 8 and tasks viewers with making the equation true by moving just two of the matches.
Your job is to make the equation true using whatever formula or method comes to mind in 10 seconds or less.
If you know which pair to move within the allotted time, you will be among the two percent of people who solve it on their first try.
A math brainteaser asks viewers to make the equation true by moving two matchsticks in less than 10 seconds
To solve this brainteaser, viewers must think outside the box and consider all options before making matchstick selections.
Since you have to make the equation true, keep in mind that the answer and the plus sign don’t have to stay the same.
If you first convert the addition equation into a subtraction equation, you can narrow down the possibilities and get closer to finding the solution.
The answer lies in taking the vertical matchstick of the plus sign and closing off the top portion of the first number three to make it a nine.
Next, you need to remove the vertical matchstick from the center of the eight and place it on the top left of the second three, making it a nine.
Doing this makes the puzzle true and gives you a new equation: 9 + 9 = 0.
Finding the answer requires creative and quick thinking, and if you can solve it on the first try and in 10 seconds or less, your intelligence level is higher than that of people who take longer.
If you can solve the equation on the first try, you were one of the two percent of people who could
These types of brainteasers are important because they can tell you a lot about how you think and view the world and help you develop problem-solving and logical reasoning skills.
As people age, memory can decline, but brain teasers that force you to remember sequences, patterns or details have been shown to improve memory retention, according to research. Erlanger Health.
Studies have shown that brain teasers play an important role in helping memory and attention span, preventing cognitive decline, and increasing one’s mental agility or ability to process information quickly.
A 2021 study revealed that the “logical stress and limit stress generated while playing brainteasers are positive stress, with a desirable effect on the players’ attention.”
“These two types of stress improve cognitive skills such as attention, concentration and problem solving by activating the frontal lobe of the brain,” the study continued.
And while the match puzzle may have proven tricky for some, not all brainteasers are created equal, so rest assured that if you don’t get it on the first try, you might just have a different way of thinking.