Lets see who gets this trivia question correctly WITHOUT google-ing the answer

[techswede]

I saw this and thought about it for a good while.. then i saw the answers..

Math is evil...

[TheRuke]

2! It's the number of circles amiright?

[Raboo]

2 i think.

[LAwLz]

Some of you got it but the answer is 2.

You are supposed to count the circles that may be inside the numbers, for example the number 8 has two circles inside it, 9 and 6 both have 1 while 3 has no circles.

So 2581 would have 2 circles both coming from the number 8.

I see. Well I sure fucked that up by making it overly complex.

The sentence on top threw me off, and the fact that there isn't really any question in the picture either. Well a programmer couldn't solve that using programming (unless he/she knew the answer) so that sentence seems to be there to throw you off.

[Canoas]

I very much doubt anyone would take over 5 minutes to do this, the moment you say a preschooler can do it then it means absolutely no knowledge is required, at most you have to know how to sum, making the answer rather obvious. TBH I didn't realize what those numbers were supposed to be until I got the answer, you just need to look at the value of each digit and put them together.

[eoso]

 Well a programmer couldn't solve that using programming (unless he/she knew the answer) so that sentence seems to be there to throw you off.

 

I converted all the numbers to hexadecimal, decimal, and binary until I realized the answer. Hooray programming.

[Canoas]

I converted all the numbers to hexadecimal, decimal, and binary until I realized the answer. Hooray programming.

 

Because a preschooler would know how to do that. It's a bit hard to find an answer when you don't read the problem.

[mr moose]

I saw this and thought about it for a good while.. then i saw the answers..

Math is evil...

 

It has nothing to do with math. It is an abstract problem that is not properly phrased to prompt reconciliation.  A child might get it only because they have not been taught the rules of mathematical process, where as most school age children are, and therefore they correctly assume that any question given to them is going to follow the rules.

 

I am not too sure what the point of this puzzle is, It does not reflect inteligence. At best it reflects ones ability to think in specific abstract terms.  I dare say an incredibly rare few actually get the same answer without help.

[Canoas]

At best it reflects ones ability to think in specific abstract terms.  I dare say an incredibly rare few actually get the same answer without help.

Not really, you can reach the answer by thinking in each digit as an incognit.

[mr moose]

Not really, you can reach the answer by thinking in each digit as an incognit.

That is the abstract component I was refering to.                

 

incognit?

[Canoas]

That is the abstract component I was refering to.                

 

incognit?

or however you call it in english, x y z etc.

[eoso]

Because a preschooler would know how to do that. It's a bit hard to find an answer when you don't read the problem.

 

The problem also mentions a programmer. Stop trying to start flame wars and actually contribute to constructive discussion. By the way, its called a variable.

[mr moose]

The problem also mentions a programmer. Stop trying to start flame wars and actually contribute to constructive discussion. By the way, its called a variable.

 It's not a variable because each digit has a set value. I was going to point out that it is actually an integer (a value with no fraction or decimal place). However we can't really call it either of those because it is not a math problem, it is an abstract riddle. It can only be a math problem once the abstract component has been reconciled and the rules of math are observed.

[Shrubpig]

It's 2. It took me like 10 mins. LOL

[Canoas]

The problem also mentions a programmer. Stop trying to start flame wars and actually contribute to constructive discussion. By the way, its called a variable.

 

The problem mentions that a preschooler can do it much faster than a programmer, therefore thinking like a programmer will do you no good. I was pointing out that there was a huuuuuuge clue there that you completely ignored. The first thing you do in any question is read it properly, and this is something that is actually important. I see so many people failing even simple questions in tests because they simply don't read.

And it's not a variable because it doesn't change, it is without a doubt a constant. Whatever you call unknown constants I do not know, but it's not a variable for sure.

[mr moose]

The problem mentions that a preschooler can do it much faster than a programmer, therefore thinking like a programmer will do you no good. I was pointing out that there was a huuuuuuge clue there that you completely ignored. The first thing you do in any question is read it properly, and this is something that is actually important. I see so many people failing even simple questions in tests because they simply don't read.

And it's not a variable because it doesn't change, it is without a doubt a constant. Whatever you call unknown constants I do not know, but it's not a variable for sure.

 

we call it n  because it is a number with an unkown value.  I would (somewhat relunctantly) call it an integer in this instance because it is a whole number. 

[Canoas]

we call it n  because it is a number with an unkown value.  I would (somewhat relunctantly) call it an integer in this instance because it is a whole number. 

 

Well, it is an integer in this specific problem, but that's not the designation for an unknown constant.

 

EDIT: I just googled it, it's simply called a constant.

[Wulfgar]

Even knowing it was something preschool children could figure out, it was too abstract for me to solve without help. I don't think I've ever "counted the circles in a number" anyways so perhaps that's a part of it. I'm impressed if anyone actually figured it out without googling.

[Giggitygoebbels]

I actually thought about the hole in number thing when i tried to solve it,but i thought come on this question cannot be so childish right...

[mr moose]

I actually thought about the hole in number thing when i tried to solve it,but i thought come on this question cannot be so childish right...

 

I wouldn't call it childish, it's just that we are trained from day one to recgonise the shape of each number as a number, and that that number has a specific value, then we are taught that there are rules about how those numbers can be used.  This puzzle is specifically designed to oppose all of these trained instincts. Thus the people who are most likely to get it are the ones that are illiterate (pre school) or illiterate in thinking.  If that makes sense. I am sure I have worderd the last bit wrong.

[Canoas]

I wouldn't call it childish, it's just that we are trained from day one to recgonise the shape of each number as a number, and that that number has a specific value, then we are taught that there are rules about how those numbers can be used.  This puzzle is specifically designed to oppose all of these trained instincts. Thus the people who are most likely to get it are the ones that are illiterate (pre school) or illiterate in thinking.  If that makes sense. I am sure I have worderd the last bit wrong.

I disagree. This puzzle is easily solved the moment you assume each number's value has changed which should be the first thing that comes to anyone's mind.

[mr moose]

I disagree. This puzzle is easily solved the moment you assume each number's value has changed which should be the first thing that comes to anyone's mind.

 

That's my point. People are taught that number values don't change, so It is not an assumption that would come naturally or quickly to many people.  I had considered when I first saw the puzzle that because 7777 = 0 it defies all the rules of math and that the puzzle was abstract, thus was not a math puzzle. But once you get into the abstract world there is nearly always more than one answer.  

 

My opinion on this is somewhat falcid because when I see statements like "pre-schoolers get this in 5 minutes" etc, I think "yeah right, how many controlled trials were done to know that?"