{"id":28269,"date":"2023-12-02T13:59:41","date_gmt":"2023-12-02T13:59:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/?p=28269"},"modified":"2024-11-13T21:23:13","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T21:23:13","slug":"this-mathematical-question-for-children-sparks-debate-whats-the-correct-answer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/this-mathematical-question-for-children-sparks-debate-whats-the-correct-answer\/","title":{"rendered":"This Mathematical Question for Children Sparks Debate: What&rsquo;s the Correct Answer?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p>Perhaps more than any other human-made invention to date, the Internet has succeeded in arousing curiosity.\r\n<script>\r\n  window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};\r\n  googletag.cmd.push(function() {\r\n    googletag.defineSlot('\/22756311368\/Header_Banner', [[728, 90], [300, 100], [750, 200], [750, 100], [250, 250], [250, 360], [336, 280], [930, 180], [970, 250], 'fluid', [320, 100], [750, 300], [970, 90], [300, 250]], 'div-gpt-ad-1728601596670-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\r\n    googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();\r\n    googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs();\r\n    googletag.enableServices();\r\n  });\r\n<\/script>\r\n<div alaunit=\"1\" style='text-align: center;padding-bottom: 10px;'>\r\n<!-- \/22756311368\/Header_Banner -->\r\n<div id='div-gpt-ad-1728601596670-0' style='min-width: 250px; min-height: 90px;'>\r\n  <script>\r\n    googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1728601596670-0'); });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p>All puzzles, including optical puzzles and brain teasers, are easily accessible. The best place to find them right now is on social media, where there can be active debates about answers in real-time.<\/p>\r\n<p>In addition, there are experts from all over with all kinds of skills to answer questions. Today we will present you with a mathematical problem that was originally intended for younger readers. However, adults can&#8217;t seem to agree on the correct response.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<script>\r\n  window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};\r\n  googletag.cmd.push(function() {\r\n    googletag.defineSlot('\/22756311368\/LAP6', [[336, 280], [320, 100], [750, 300], [320, 480], [580, 400], [300, 250]], 'div-gpt-ad-1728564650408-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\r\n    googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();\r\n    googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs();\r\n    googletag.enableServices();\r\n  });\r\n<\/script>\r\n<div alaunit=\"2\" style='text-align: center;padding-bottom: 10px;'>\r\n<!-- \/22756311368\/LAP6 -->\r\n<div id='div-gpt-ad-1728564650408-0' style='min-width: 300px; min-height: 100px;'>\r\n  <script>\r\n    googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1728564650408-0'); });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>promotion<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The puzzle was first shared on X, the website formerly known as Twitter, in June 2023. It was designed to be difficult for students still enrolled in classes. But how it happened was much more fascinating. This seemingly simple math problem for kids has become a confusing mess.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The math problem that has people going crazy on the internet<\/p>\r\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"944\" height=\"680\" class=\"wp-image-28280\" src=\"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/download-2023-12-01T231631.878.webp\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/download-2023-12-01T231631.878.webp 944w, \/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/download-2023-12-01T231631.878-300x216.webp 300w, \/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/download-2023-12-01T231631.878-768x553.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 944px) 100vw, 944px\" \/><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Time is a factor in a math problem. The original poster was user X in Jamaica @yawdmontweet. What time is closest to midnight? was what he said. After that came four options: At 11:55, A, B, C, and D, the time is 0:06. He stated in the caption that the question gave him a headache. You may be asking yourself why this is difficult right now. So come on a crazy trip with 1.4 million other viewers!<\/p>\r\n\r\n<script>\r\n  window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};\r\n  googletag.cmd.push(function() {\r\n    googletag.defineSlot('\/22756311368\/LAP5', [[300, 250], [320, 480], [336, 280], [320, 100], [580, 400], [750, 300]], 'div-gpt-ad-1728564828386-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\r\n    googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();\r\n    googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs();\r\n    googletag.enableServices();\r\n  });\r\n<\/script>\r\n<div alaunit=\"3\" style='text-align: center;padding-bottom: 10px;'>\r\n<!-- \/22756311368\/LAP5 -->\r\n<div id='div-gpt-ad-1728564828386-0' style='min-width: 300px; min-height: 100px;'>\r\n  <script>\r\n    googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1728564828386-0'); });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The solution seems quite clear at first: Option D: 00:03 Even more users chose this option in their answers. Midnight is actually 12:00, so 12:03 is the closest option to 12:00 in terms of minutes &#8211; just 3 minutes. However, this is based on a fundamental assumption: that time can be measured forwards and backward precisely from midnight or 12 o&#8217;clock.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Here&#8217;s a little explanation in case you still don&#8217;t understand. In fact, time only goes forward.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>As a result, you can&#8217;t go back to it after midnight starting at 00:03. The approaching midnight, the midnight that occurs the following night, then becomes the only feasible midnight! As a result, the way the question was worded created uncertainty. Some thought that &#8220;the nearest time to&#8221; midnight was required. Since this is the closest potential midnight, 11:55 is undoubtedly the correct response in this scenario. But since the question asked for &#8220;closest to&#8221;, option D should still be the correct answer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Other potential approaches and errors<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>There is still room for further interpretation! Some astute individuals figured out that the question was not only straightforward arithmetic in nature but verbal as well!<\/p>\r\n\r\n<script>\r\n  window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};\r\n  googletag.cmd.push(function() {\r\n    googletag.defineSlot('\/22756311368\/LAP5', [[336, 280], [320, 100], [580, 400], [750, 300], [300, 250], [320, 480]], 'div-gpt-ad-1728564868956-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\r\n    googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();\r\n    googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs();\r\n    googletag.enableServices();\r\n  });\r\n<\/script>\r\n<div alaunit=\"4\" style='text-align: center;padding-bottom: 10px;'>\r\n<!-- \/22756311368\/LAP5 -->\r\n<div id='div-gpt-ad-1728564868956-0' style='min-width: 300px; min-height: 100px;'>\r\n  <script>\r\n    googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1728564868956-0'); });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p>They argued that the time &#8220;closest&#8221; to the position of the word &#8220;midnight&#8221; in the newspaper is what is required in the answer. If so, option A will be selected once more.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Others have pointed out the possibility that confusion may arise from the first two options.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Any time that is 11:00 is closer to noon, which is 12:00 than to midnight because midnight is 12:00. It makes sense, some others have pointed out, to have more details, such as which midnight it refers to\u2014one that has just passed or one that is approaching.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>As a result, some viewers have been using ChatGPT, the best computer currently freely available. The AI \u200b\u200bquickly answered that yes, option D was the best choice. However, since humans are not machines, we can look at a problem from multiple angles and arrive at the best solution at the same time!<\/p>\r\n<p>While some have noted that such subtlety can put off receptive minds, it also shows how intelligent we are that we don&#8217;t always take the easy way out.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<script>\r\n  window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};\r\n  googletag.cmd.push(function() {\r\n    googletag.defineSlot('\/22756311368\/LAP5', [[320, 100], [750, 300], [320, 480], [580, 400], [336, 280], [300, 250]], 'div-gpt-ad-1728564912373-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\r\n    googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();\r\n    googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs();\r\n    googletag.enableServices();\r\n  });\r\n<\/script>\r\n<div alaunit=\"5\" style='text-align: center;padding-bottom: 10px;'>\r\n<!-- \/22756311368\/LAP5 -->\r\n<div id='div-gpt-ad-1728564912373-0' style='min-width: 300px; min-height: 100px;'>\r\n  <script>\r\n    googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1728564912373-0'); });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Finally, a seemingly harmless math problem &#8211; &#8220;What time is the closest to midnight?&#8221; &#8211; emerged as a focal point for a tangled web of interpretations, fueling heated debates and highlighting the complexities inherent in seemingly simple questions. Originally posted on a Twitter-like platform, the question was intended to challenge young people, but it spiraled into a global discourse, revealing the multifaceted nature of human cognition and the complexities of language.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The disputed options, ranging from 11:55 to 12:06, have given rise to various interpretations. Most initially favored 12:03 a.m., assuming the time would be two-way from midnight. However, the one-way flow of time makes approaching midnight the only possible &#8220;closest&#8221; option.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>However, the debate did not stop at the numerical interpretation. Astute observers ventured into linguistic realms, wondering if the intent of the query lay behind the arithmetic, instead trying to find the time &#8220;closest&#8221; to the word &#8220;midnight&#8221; in the context.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In addition, the ambiguity of options highlighted the potential confusion between noon and midnight. We tried to clarify the reference to either the recent past or the coming midnight, which added layers of complexity to the debate.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<script>\r\n  window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};\r\n  googletag.cmd.push(function() {\r\n    googletag.defineSlot('\/22756311368\/LAP5', [[300, 250], [320, 480], [320, 100], [580, 400], [750, 300], [336, 280]], 'div-gpt-ad-1728564931547-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\r\n    googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();\r\n    googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs();\r\n    googletag.enableServices();\r\n  });\r\n<\/script>\r\n<div alaunit=\"6\" style='text-align: center;padding-bottom: 10px;'>\r\n<!-- \/22756311368\/LAP5 -->\r\n<div id='div-gpt-ad-1728564931547-0' style='min-width: 300px; min-height: 100px;'>\r\n  <script>\r\n    googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1728564931547-0'); });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In search of solutions, some turned to artificial intelligence for immediate answers, reaffirming the argument for option D. However, this discourse underscored the beauty of human cognition, embracing multifaceted thinking and lively discourse as pillars of intellectual inquiry.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In essence, this seemingly straightforward mathematical problem reached beyond its intended audience and served as a catalyst for elucidating the multifaceted nature of human thought and the intricacies involved in linguistic interpretation. It revealed the depth of discourse that seemingly elementary questions can generate and reaffirm humanity&#8217;s propensity to dig deeper, challenge assumptions, and engage in lively discussions about seemingly trivial matters.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>How this mathematical mystery continues to captivate the mind and fuel debate stands as a testament to the diversity of the human intellect, demonstrating our penchant for exploring beyond the obvious and appreciating the myriad interpretations that characterize our cognitive tapestry. The controversy surrounding a seemingly simple mathematical problem serves as a testament to the richness of the human intellect and the limitless scope for interpretation within seemingly straightforward inquiries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<script>\r\n  window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};\r\n  googletag.cmd.push(function() {\r\n    googletag.defineSlot('\/22756311368\/LAP5', [[300, 250], [320, 480], [580, 400], [320, 100], [750, 300], [336, 280]], 'div-gpt-ad-1728564987069-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\r\n    googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();\r\n    googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs();\r\n    googletag.enableServices();\r\n  });\r\n<\/script>\r\n<div alaunit=\"7\" style='text-align: center;padding-bottom: 10px;'>\r\n<!-- \/22756311368\/LAP5 -->\r\n<div id='div-gpt-ad-1728564987069-0' style='min-width: 300px; min-height: 100px;'>\r\n  <script>\r\n    googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1728564987069-0'); });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Perhaps more than any other human-made invention to date, the Internet has succeeded in arousing curiosity. All puzzles, including optical puzzles and brain teasers, are easily accessible. The best place to find them right now is on social media, where there can be active debates about answers in real-time. In addition, there are experts from &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/this-mathematical-question-for-children-sparks-debate-whats-the-correct-answer\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">This Mathematical Question for Children Sparks Debate: What&#8217;s the Correct Answer?<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-neque"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28269"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28269\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66394,"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28269\/revisions\/66394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legendsmosaic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}</body></html></script></p>