Problem of the Week

A riddle problem is a question or statement intentionally phrased so as to require ingenuity in ascertaining its answer or meaning, typically presented as a game. Below is a list of the past problem of the week riddles in descending chronological order.

Party Time

POW: 01-03-2022

At a children's party, 10 kids had juice, 8 kids had cake, and 6 kids had juice and cake. How many kids were there at the party?

Answer: Tweleve kids. Six kids had juice and cake, leaving two out of the cake eaters that didn't have juice. As there were ten juicers, there must be twelve kids in total.

Three Moves Pile Of Matches Riddle

POW: 12-27-2021

Place three piles of matches on a table, one with 11 matches, the second with 7, and the third with 6. You are to move matches so that each pile holds 8 matches. You may add to any pile only as many matches as it already contains. All the matches must come from one other pile. For example, if a pile holds 6 matches, you may add 6 to it, no more or less. You have three moves. How can you do it?

Answer: First pile to second; second to third; third to first:

Pile	Initial number	First move	Second move	Third move
First	11	11-7=4	4	4+4=8
Second	7	7+7=14	14-6=8	8
Third	6	6	6+6=12	12-4=8

Doubling

POW: 12-20-2021

A tree doubled in height each year until it reached its maximum height over the course of ten years. How many years did it take for the tree to reach half its maximum height?

Answer: Nine Years.

Impossible Age

POW: 12-13-2021

When asked how old she was, Suzie replied, "In two years I will be twice as old as I was five years ago." How old is she?

Answer: She's 12!

Math Equation Riddle

POW: 12-06-2021

81 x 9 = 801. What must you do to make the this equation true?

Answer: Turn it upside down. 108 = 6 x 18.

Handy Math Teachers

POW: 11-29-2021

What is the most useful instrument in a mathematics teacher's tool kit?

Answer: Multi-pilers!

Don't Use Any Ones

POW: 11-22-2021

How can you give someone $63 using six bills, without using any one dollar bills?

Answer: 1 - $50 bill, 1 - $5 bill , 4 - $2 bills

How Many Threes?

POW: 11-15-2021

Jenna wrote all the numbers from 300 to 400 on a piece of paper. How many times did she write the digit 3?

Answer: Jenna wrote it 120 times.

How Many?

POW: 11-08-2021

A boy has as many sisters as brothers, but each sister has only half as many sisters as brothers. How many brothers and sisters are there in the family?

Answer: Four brothers and three sisters.

Make The Equation True

POW: 10-25-2021

How can you make the following equation true by drawing only one straight line: 5+5+5=550? Can you figure it out?

Answer: Draw a line on the first plus sign that turns it into a 4! The equation then becomes true: 545+5=550. You could also change the equal symbol to a crossed out equal symbol which means "not equal to".