Welcome to the banana, apple and coconut maths problem that’s currently dividing the internet.
A website called The Problem Site has gone so far as describing the problem as “not terribly difficult”. But that hasn’t helped the thousands of people on the internet feeling a bit dumb by not getting to the correct of 14 straight away.
So here’s how to figure it out:
3 apples = 30, so 1 apple = 10.
10 + 2 bananas = 18, so 2 bananas = 8 and 1 banana = 4
4 – 1 coconut = 2, so 1 coconut = 2
Therefore, 1 coconut + 1 apple + 1 banana = 2 + 10 + 4 = 16
HOWEVER…
Although this is the answer everyone seems to be giving, it’s actually not correct. Notice that each bunch of bananas has four bananas (look closely!) except the one in the final line, which has 3 bananas. Also notice that the third line has one coconut, while the last line has only 1/2 of a coconut.
This changes things!
3 apples = 30, so 1 apple = 10.
10 + 8 bananas = 18, so 8 bananas = 8 and 1 banana = 1
4 – 1 coconut = 2, so 1 coconut = 2
Therefore, 1/2 coconut + 1 apple + 3 bananas = 1 + 10 + 3 = 14
Or maybe 1/2 coconut + 1 apple + 3 bananas just equal a fruit platter. Each to their own.
Oh and another cool thing you can do with bananas? Nail art.
