The maths question ‘for 7-year-olds’ so hard it left adults pulling their hair out

A maths question allegedly designed for 7-year-olds in Singapore has resurfaced online, leaving both children and adults stumped.

The puzzle, which features a diagram of five numbers and four empty blanks, challenges the participants to "study the number pattern" and "fill in the missing numbers".

Initially posted on an online forum in 2006, the problem has reemerged, leaving users to guess the solution.

One forum user wrote: "The 2 in the quadrant throws me off. Cannot be just one mathematical operation."

Another user on Facebook said: "I just finished my course on advanced applied math and I can't solve this. Whoever set this is sick."

While another joked: "Maybe Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory could have done this when he was seven."

As the puzzle gained traction, many began to question its origins, with a forum user claiming it is from an exam paper for seven-year-olds in Singapore.

However, Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) initially told Mashable that they couldn't verify this, but later confirmed that there were no formal exams for Primary 1 students.

Despite the uncertainty, the question has sparked curiosity and frustration worldwide, with adults feeling defeated by what was thought to be a child’s problem. Were you able to solve it?

Interestingly, it is almost identical to a puzzle found on mathematician Gordon Burgin’s blog. In Burgin’s version, the only difference is that the number 20 replaces 2 in the bottom-left corner. Scroll down to see his solution.