💡 Hint
After the first subtraction, are you still subtracting from 25?
Reveal answer
Once. After that, you are subtracting 5 from 20, not from 25.
The first subtraction turns 25 into 20. Any further subtraction is from 20, then 15, then 10, and so on, so you can only subtract 5 from 25 a single time. The puzzle works because the brain hears “subtract 5 from 25” and automatically starts dividing: 25 ÷ 5 = 5. The question rewards reading over computing.
Did you get it?
About This Puzzle
Here is a math puzzle that does not need a calculator, only careful reading. Kids love it, and adults tend to answer a little too fast.
How to Think About It
Read the question word by word. It does not ask how many fives fit inside 25, and it does not ask how many times you can keep subtracting until you reach zero. It asks how many times you can subtract 5 from 25. Do it once and look at what number you have now.
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