Some folks have a soft spot for math, while others might not be fond of it. Regardless of which camp you find yourself in, this brain-tickling puzzle might give you a run for your money.

Math puzzles don’t necessarily need to be mind-boggling, but at times, even the most straightforward ones can leave us scratching our heads. In fact, quite a few people find themselves puzzled over this particular conundrum.

At first glance, this puzzle might seem straightforward, but soon enough, things might start to seem a little off. You might find yourself puzzling over how simple arithmetic can go awry.

When you reach the final number, you might be scratching your head, wondering what step to take next. A straightforward 5+8 leads us to 13, but that’s clearly not the answer we’re looking for here.

Sometimes, it’s beneficial to approach the problem from a fresh perspective without over-analyzing. Here, the knack lies more in unraveling the puzzle than sticking to pure logic. Does that offer any clues?

We’re about to reveal the solution to this riddle. Make sure you’ve given it your best shot before taking a peek!

The solution is 34. Curious how we got there?

Starting from the second line, each result is the sum of the current line’s equation plus the total from the line above. For instance, we have 2+5=7, then 7+5 becomes 12.

When you hit the final line, you calculate 5+8=13, and then 13+21 gives you the final answer: 34.