Let’s break down the puzzle step by step, starting with the three equations at the top.
First equation: The pigs. We see three identical pigs added together, giving us a total of 6. Dividing 6 by 3 tells us that each individual pig has a value of 2.
Second equation: The roosters. Three identical roosters add up to 15. Dividing 15 by 3 gives us the value of one rooster, which is 5.
Third equation: The cows. Three identical spotted cows have a combined value of 30. Therefore, each cow must equal 10.
Everything seems straightforward so far, doesn’t it? However, the final equation introduces two important details that are easy to overlook when solving the puzzle quickly.
First, the symbol between the pig and the cow is multiplication, not addition. According to the standard order of mathematical operations, multiplication must be completed before addition.
Second, look carefully at the pig illustration in the final row. There’s actually another pig positioned behind the first one! That means the picture represents two pigs rather than one.
Since one pig equals 2, the pair of pigs has a combined value of 4.
Now we can substitute the correct values into the final equation:
5 + (4 × 10) = ?
Multiplication first:
4 × 10 = 40
Then addition:
5 + 40 = 45
The trick isn’t complicated mathematics. It’s noticing the extra pig and remembering the order of operations.
If you originally answered 25, you probably counted only one pig. The intended answer is 45!
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