A fiendishly tricky brainteaser has left people scratching their heads.

Maths may not have been everyone’s favourite subject at school, but it’s hard to deny that puzzles are a fantastic way to exercise our brains. Maintaining mental health is as crucial as physical well-being, and brainteasers serve as an excellent workout for the mind – they can enhance cognitive function and help ward off degenerative diseases like dementia.

So if you’re in the mood to challenge your brain today, why not give this perplexing maths puzzle a go?

It’s reportedly so baffling that people can’t figure out the correct answer – as there appear to be two possible solutions.

In a TikTok video, a couple named Jennie and Nick – who regularly post brainteaser content – recorded themselves during a car ride when Jennie posed the question to her husband: “What is half of two plus two?”

Nick responded immediately, stating that “two plus two is four, so half of that would be two”. However, he was taken aback when Jennie disclosed the answer is not two, and reiterated the question to him.

The conversation continued back and forth for a while, with Nick maintaining the answer must be two, as it is half of the sum 2+2. He even argued if he halved the numbers before adding them, the result would still be two, as he would then be calculating 1+1.

He then had an epiphany and resorted to “outside of the box thinking”, as he put it: “What is half of 2+2? A maths equation. It’s a maths equation. Half of 2+2, you ask what is this, it’s a maths equation.”

Jennie admired his creativity, but that wasn’t the correct solution either. To arrive at the right answer, you must approach the question from a different angle.

It’s particularly helpful to picture a comma dividing the equation, rephrasing it as: “What is half of two, plus two?”

When we consider the question in this format, it becomes evident the answer is three. Half of two is one, add two more, and you reach three – the solution Jennie was hoping her husband would deduce.

The video’s commenters were divided; some insisted it was “obvious” the answer should be three, while others supported Nick’s interpretation, claiming it’s two.

One viewer argued: “What is two plus two? Four. Half of that is two no matter how you play the word game.”

Yet another countered, saying: “It’s either two or three depending on where you put the emphasis.”