A maths problem intended for a seven-year-old has left social media users and even a maths teacher scratching their heads. The question, shared on Threads by Bobby Seagull, a British primary school maths teacher and TV presenter, has garnered over 117,000 views.
The problem reads: '5)a) Dina is baking. The cake bakes from 11 o'clock until half past 11. The brownies bake from 10 past 11 until 25 to 12. Do you agree with Dina? Explain your answer.' Seagull admitted, 'I'm a school maths teacher… and I can't solve it. Any ideas? Am I missing something?'
Former teacher and curriculum developer Caroline Farkas told Newsweek that the problem lacks key details, making it more of a discussion prompt than a straightforward calculation. 'That's what makes it a perfect conversation starter rather than a straightforward calculation,' she said.
Social media users pointed out that the question does not state Dina's opinion, making it impossible to agree or disagree. One commenter noted, 'If you are supposed to agree with Dina, Dina must have made a statement. Since there is no statement, I'd assume the teacher forgot to type out one line of the task.' Others criticised the phrasing '25 to 12' as unusual, with one saying, 'I've never heard anyone say 25 to 12. That's just 11:35.'
Farkas explained that time-based questions often challenge students because they require converting minutes to hours and interpreting phrases like 'half past'. She recommends using visual tools such as number lines and analog clocks to help learners. The answer, according to some interpretations, is that the cake bakes for 30 minutes and the brownies for 25 minutes, but without Dina's statement, the problem remains unsolvable.
