'Simple' maths question leaves people stumped – but can you work it out?

The seemingly simple question asks people to complete an equation, but it's not as easy as it seems - so can you solve it?

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Can you solve the brainteaser? (Image: Threads.net)

Keeping your brain active is known to help improve cognitive performance, enhance memory, and aid with focus and attention. Some even believe that regular brain workouts can delay the symptoms of dementia.

Brainteasers come in all shapes and sizes, pushing a different part of your brain than say a maths problem. And this puzzle is proving to be so hard that apparently, only those with a high IQ can solve it.

It will force your brain to think outside the box, by challenging yourself to solve the problem below you will be improving your mind's ability to focus on a task and your mathematical skills.

The seemingly simple question asks people to complete an equation, but it's not as easy as it seems.

The problem is that it's left people stumped, with most people not being able to decide on the answer. So can you work it out?

The maths test question shared on social media shows four pictures showing a frog, a sheep, and a horse, and asking what '?' weighs. However, the only way to know this is to determine what each of the animals weighs.

The first picture shows the frog and the sheep together, with the caption stating together they weigh 10kg. The second picture shows the frog and the horse together, saying they weigh 20kg.

The third picture is of the sheep and the horse, with a caption of 24kg. And the fourth photo shows all three animals together but what is their weight?

The puzzling challenge took social media by storm when it was initially posted on Instagram's Threads, prompting a deluge of comments from users attempting to crack the conundrum. Guesses for the correct solution varied widely, from 18 to 59, leaving many scratching their heads over the true weight of each creature involved.

However, one savvy individual managed to cut through the confusion with their sharp logic, stating: "Best way to get it fast and easy (in my very personal opinion): notice that all three animals appear two times in the weighted tables. So sum all three weights (that would be 6 animals) and divide by two."

To everyone's relief, this method hit the nail on the head, leading observers to agree in unison that the enigma's elusive answer was indeed 27kg.

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