How does this work? Add up in your head the following numbers:1000, 40, 1000, 30, 1000, 20, 1000, 10. Do you come up with 5000 like I did? Now add them on a calculator or with a pencil. What do you get? See what I mean?
2007-10-22 16:05:30 · 16 answers · asked by Ladybug II 6 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Jokes & Riddles
This is one of those bait and switch puzzles. Your brain is used to things working out in a certain way. In this case... it is expecting to have the number roll over like an odometer.
Because you're expecting things to work out a certain way, your brain makes an intuitive leap to the 'logical' conclusion. Even CPA's and math nerds get fooled if they aren't on their toes. (ask me about it... I'm both!)
2007-10-23 15:10:04 · answer #1 · answered by Azuka 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i first did it in order and got 5000...
but then i added the 1000's and then the 40,30,20, and 10 and i got 4100
its really easy if you use paper/ a calculator
2007-10-22 23:31:15 · answer #2 · answered by anonymous random guy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HMMMMMMMMM I see your dilemna, I did it in my head and I got 5000, then I did it on paper and I got 5000 but lastly I did it on the calculator and got 4100. I don't know how that is???? ooops i just did it again and i got into a pattern so the correct answer is 4100, sorry for the mistake but i can see how you did it cause i got that too :-)
2007-10-22 23:16:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anna 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you just fell into the pattern & got thrown when you had 4090 & had to add 10, since the next step in the pattern after you added the 10 to 4090 would have been to up the 1000 number after you just upped the 10 number.
2007-10-22 23:14:01 · answer #4 · answered by Will S 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I did the same thing you did, and got 5,000 then I looked at it again and added the 1000's and the other numbers and got 4,100. WEIRRRRD how our brains work huh!
2007-10-22 23:24:37 · answer #5 · answered by thinkpeace 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I came up with 4,100 in my head. I added up all the thousands first and got 4,000. Then I added the smaller numbers and came up with 100. I think if you add them in order, you come up with 5,000 because your brain has trouble carrying the 1 to the right column
2007-10-22 23:09:55 · answer #6 · answered by Jessie H 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I added them up in my head and got 4,100 right off the bat?
2007-10-22 23:56:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i got 4,100 in my head. calculated big numbers, then the small ones. but it was an honest mistake!!!!
2007-10-23 00:06:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I got 4,100 but I'm really literal and good at math.
2007-10-23 02:47:43 · answer #9 · answered by Precious 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i got the same answer as you. we must be stupid. or just did it in our heads too fast without thinking.they way a brain works is weird.
2007-10-22 23:37:23 · answer #10 · answered by choddy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋