A four-year-old boy from South Africa has been dubbed a 'human calculator' after astonishing his family by instantly solving complex maths sums. Andile Mbambo, from Benoni near Pretoria, answered a question meant for his eight-year-old brother Sihle, and has since become a viral sensation on TikTok.
Instant answers astonish family
Dad Xolani, 35, a musician, was waiting for Sihle to answer a maths question when the correct response came from his younger son, Andile. Initially reckoning it was a fluke, Xolani asked another question, and Andile was right again. When the father made the questions more difficult, the four-year-old still answered them almost immediately.
Xolani said: “I was shocked. Numbers are his thing.” Andile can multiply 16 by 16 to get 256, and 256 by 256 to get 65,536, with no hesitation. His problem-solving skills have attracted 1.3 million likes and 190,000 followers on TikTok. Xolani insists there is no trickery involved, calling it simply a gift.
A normal four-year-old with big ambitions
At Qodesh Creche and After Daycare, Andile learns the alphabet, sings nursery rhymes, and does everything expected of a four-year-old. However, he does not find it challenging enough. “He’s crying because he said school sometimes takes up his time,” says Xolani.
Mum Samkelisiwe, 26, insists they do not force their little boy to do calculations for clicks. In fact, he asks if he can make another video, saying: “I want to count for my people.” He receives many messages from followers, with one joking: “Which software version did you install on him?” and another asking: “Does he offer maths lessons? I need help!”
Defending his talent
Some viewers question whether the videos are genuine and leave nasty comments. “I make sure I defend him,” says Xolani. The family say Andile is a normal four-year-old who loves playing with his friends and trips to McDonald’s.
Unlike most his age, Andile already says he wants to be a doctor when he grows up. His family reckon he could travel to the US when he is older, with Xolani even suggesting a movie titled 'Andile the Calculator'. “Sometimes he’ll tell you, ‘You don’t know that I’m a celebrity. I’m Andile the Calculator’,” says Xolani. His parents remain puzzled about where his maths skills come from. “He definitely didn’t get it from me,” Samkelisiwe said.
