Here’s a simple-looking math question that has been making people stop and think:
You’re in a room with 340 people.
120 people leave, and 60 people return.
How many people are in the room now?
At first glance, the answer may seem obvious. But the best way to solve it is to slow down and follow the numbers step by step.
Step 1: Start with the original number
The question tells us that there are 340 people in the room to begin with.
So our starting number is:
340 people
Step 2: 120 people leave
Now, 120 people walk out of the room.
When people leave, we subtract them from the original number:
340 − 120 = 220
That means there are now:
220 people in the room.
Step 3: 60 people return
The question then says that 60 people return to the room.
Since these people are coming back inside, we add them:
220 + 60 = 280
So after 120 people leave and 60 people return, the final number of people inside the room is:
280 people
The easiest way to remember it
You can solve the entire problem with just two operations:
340 − 120 + 60 = 280
There is no trick hidden in the wording. You simply begin with the original number, subtract the people who leave, and then add the people who come back.
Final answer: 280 people.
But here’s the interesting part: even though the calculation is very simple, questions like this are great at testing whether we carefully read the order of events instead of rushing to an answer.
So, did you get 280 without using a calculator? Let us know in the comments!