At first glance, this question looks like a simple multiplication problem. But there’s a little trick hidden in the wording.
The question is:
“I have 4 sisters, and each sister has 4 sisters. How many are we?”
Let’s solve it step by step
If I have 4 sisters, that means there are already 5 girls in the family:
- Me = 1
- Sister #1 = 1
- Sister #2 = 1
- Sister #3 = 1
- Sister #4 = 1
So, altogether:
1 + 4 = 5
Now look at the second part: “Each sister has 4 sisters.”
That is true because each of the four sisters can count the other four girls—including me—as her sisters.
The important thing is not to multiply 4 × 4. The sisters are the same four people being described from each sister’s perspective.
✅ The Answer: 5
So, there are 5 sisters altogether.
This puzzle is designed to make you overthink the wording. The key is realizing that the four sisters each have the same four sisters, not four completely different sisters.
Did you get 5 on your first try?