Can YOU solve a 10-year-old’s maths homework?

Can you solve a 10-year-old’s maths homework?

That’s the question which has left the internet baffled as Twitter users admit to scratching their heads after one parent shared her child’s surprisingly tricky assignment online.

So as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declares that maths should be compulsory up to the age of 18 as he sets out his vision for Britain, we ask you… can you work out the answer?

At the beginning of the day, Hasim counted his money. He gave his brother 1/3 of his money. He spent £12 on a present for his sister. He then counted what he had left, and it was half what he had at the beginning of the day. How much money did he give his brother? Show your method

WHAT IS THE QUESTION?

At the beginning of the day, Hasim counted his money. He gave his brother 1/3 of his money. He spent £12 on a present for his sister. He then counted what he had left, and it was half what he had at the beginning of the day. How much money did he give his brother? Show your method.

WHAT IS THE INTERNET SAYING?

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

If Hasim gave his brother 1/3 of his money, spent £12, and has half of his money left, then:

Then resolve x:

So how much did Hasim give his brother?

It comes as Mr Sunak’s ‘big idea’ of making maths compulsory to the age of 18 was mocked today as a ‘dead cat’ to distract from the NHS crisis and winter of discontent 

It comes as Mr Sunak’s ‘big idea’ of making maths compulsory to the age of 18 was mocked today as a ‘dead cat’ to distract from the NHS crisis and winter of discontent.

In his first major speech as PM this afternoon, Mr Sunak promised to equip children for the ‘jobs of the future’ by combating high rates of innumeracy in the UK.

Young people will be forced to take ‘some form’ of maths delivered either through new courses or existing qualifications such as A-levels, T-levels and Core Maths. For most the drive is likely to involve practical skills rather than algebra.

But Opposition parties dismissed the initiative as ’empty’ – while Tories urged Mr Sunak to focus on tackling illegal immigration instead.

Nigel Farage swiped that ‘quadratic equations’ would not help fix ‘broken Britain’.

Around eight million adults in England have numeracy skills expected of primary school children, according to Government figures.

Currently only around half of 16 to 19 year-olds study maths in some form. The problem is particularly acute for disadvantaged pupils, 60 per cent of whom do not have basic maths skills at age 16.

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Former Cabinet minister John Redwood urged Mr Sunak to focus on tackling illegal immigration and the Channel crisis 

Nigel Farage swiped that ‘quadratic equations’ would not help fix ‘broken Britain’

Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said the Prime Minister ‘needs to show his working’, as ‘he cannot deliver this reheated, empty pledge without more maths teachers’.

She added: ‘Yet the Government has missed their target for new maths teachers year after year, with existing teachers leaving in their droves.’

A Labour source said: ‘In their desperation to ensure Sunak’s speech doesn’t happen after Keir’s, No 10 have revealed they have nothing to offer the country except… double maths.

‘As the health service falls to pieces after 12 years of Tory rule, criminals terrorise the streets, and working people worry how their wages will last the month, the country is entitled to ask: is this it?’

Former Cabinet minister John Redwood tweeted: ‘As the Prime Minister turns his attention to maths teaching he should not forget his choice as most pressing priority was to stop illegal migration.

‘Parliament needs to legislate urgently on small boats and public services.’

Mr Farage also waded in, saying: ‘So Rishi Sunak’s big idea to save the nation is maths until the age of 18! How will quadratic equations help to solve broken Britain?’