Simple problem confuses the internet

They say "You should be able to solve this," but the internet can't agree on the answer! What do you think? #shorts #math #maths #mathematics

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The Moscow Puzzles (problem 37) by Boris A. Kordemsky, edited by Martin Gardner
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[igoregalado]

When math meets literature, "2b, or not 2b, that is the question."

[ytuser]

This feels like that old video where a guy persuades his landlord that he paid the right amount even though it’s not

[Rayneisprettycool]

"Sir, I just want to buy a book"

[carlovasquez]

I like how people are discussing about this, when the problem itself tells us that the half of the price of the book is $1

[Tealc]

The question is flawed, that's why people have a hard time solving it.
Everyone is focusing on solving the math disregarding the wrong grammar.

[ylucosn]

If you phrase it like "a book costs half its price +1$", I think it's easier to understand without thinking too much

[VirulOne]

Math teachers making sure the kids get the wrong answer so they proceed to tell them follow the formula

[davidcooley]

Its very simple the book is 1 dollar + 1 half of its full price. 1 half of 2 is 1, 1+1 is 2

[ghostspark]

The question implies the 1 is the cost as the half is "plus" so the contextual answer that comes to mind is $1.50. Whoever wrote this passed Math but not English <3

[nohaxjustxmod-sfs]

A better question
“A book costs 1$ plus half it’s real price”

[jacobgendron]

Unsolvable when looked at in business terms. Cost and price are two different variables

[TomHo]

The first thing come up to my mind is “depend which state you are living in and what is the sale tax” LOL

[dylankrejci]

"The book costs 1 dollar". "The book costs 2 dollars."

Inflation at work, my friends

[zettour.]

If they said directly, "the cost of this book is equal to $1 and half its cost", then a lot more people would understand.

[ReverendLeRoux]

It costs a dollar.

Unless the statement is "the final price of a book is one dollar plus half the price of itself."

[DefinitivelyNotCthulhu]

The fact that Cost and Price stated as if they are different yet share the same variable is a flaw. In a word problem for math, when things are called different words they are usually different variables. If it instead said a book costs $1 plus half it’s Cost, then you could confidently say $2 as the variables are the same. The problem is assuming the writer is considering price and costs the same general noun or is using it as a buy and resell scenario. Due to the lack of emphasizing the question, the Math isn’t the problem but the comprehension of it is.
The equation could be manipulated with this simple sentence. Saying some like “John saw a book that costs $1 plus half it’s price. How much does it cost?” would emulate to a similar equation the OP showed.
However if it was in a scenario like “John selling a Book. It costs $1 plus half the price he purchased it for. How much is he selling the book for?” Then the problem cannot be solved until further information is revealed. Also Costs is a present term and so is Price but both can still be used in same sentence to mean different things. It’s more of a verbal conundrum than a actual math problem.

[nicolasgomez]

"How much does it cost?" That's easy, half the price plus one dollar, says so right there.

[ReynaSingh]

This question is only stumping people because the wording is unclear

[shodanodor]

Why buy the book when you can just wait for the movie?

[boxodoge]

There is a correct answer
B = $1
T = total price

T = B + B/2
T = $1 + $1/2
T = $1 + $0.5
T = $1.50

The way you completed the problem is wrong. B cannot be equal to itself + 1/2 of itself.