A "simple" brainteaser for children has sparked an online debate, with many adults arguing about what the correct answer is.
一個看似簡單的兒童謎語近日在網上引發熱論，很多成年人為正確答案到底是什么爭論不休。

The apples, bananas and coconuts conundrum is being widely shared online, leaving some puzzle solvers perplexed.
這道“蘋果香蕉椰子謎題”在網上瘋傳，很多參與者為它“燒腦”。

Problem solvers must work out which number each fruit piece symbolizes in order to crack the brainteaser.
為了獲得最終結果，解題者必須找出這三種水果各自代表的數字。

Internet users have been arguing that the answer to the final equation is anything from 14, 15, 16 to 20.
網友們都認為，最后那個等式的結果肯定是從14、15、16和20中選。

The Problem Site explains:
“解題網”給出的解釋如下：

3 apples = 30, so 1 apple = 10.
3個蘋果= 30，所以1個蘋果= 10。

10 + 2 bananas = 18, so 2 bananas = 8 and 1 banana = 4
10 + 2串香蕉= 18，所以2串香蕉= 8，所以1串香蕉= 4。

4 - 1 coconut = 2, so 1 coconut = 2
4 - 1個椰子= 2，所以1個椰子= 2。

Therefore, 1 coconut + 1 apple + 1 banana = 2 + 10 + 4 = 16
因此，1個椰子+1個蘋果+1串香蕉= 2 + 10 + 4 = 16。

However, if you look a little closer at the problem you will see that 16 is not the right answer.
不過，如果你再認真看一下原題就會發現，16并不是正確答案。

“Although this is the answer everyone seems to be giving, it's actually not correct. Notice that each bunch of bananas has four bananas (look closely!) except the one in the final line, which has 3 bananas. Also notice that the third line has one coconut, while the last line has only 1/2 of a coconut,” The Problem Site adds. “This changes things!”
“解題網”稱：“雖然大家給出的似乎都是這個答案，但其實它并不對。你應該注意到，前面的每串香蕉上都有四只香蕉（看仔細哦！），但最后一個等式上的那串卻只有三只香蕉。而且，第三個等式上有一個椰子，而最后一個等式上只有半個椰子。所以結果就不同了！”

3 apples = 30, so 1 apple = 10.
3個蘋果= 30，所以1個蘋果= 10。

10 + 8 bananas = 18, so 8 bananas = 8 and 1 banana = 1
10 + 8只香蕉= 18，所以8只香蕉= 8，1只香蕉= 1。

4 - 1 coconut = 2, so 1 coconut = 2
4 - 1只椰子為2，所以1只椰子= 2。

Therefore, 1/2 coconut + 1 apple + 3 bananas = 1 + 10 + 3 = 14
所以，半個椰子+1個蘋果+ 3只香蕉= 1 + 10 + 3 = 14。

So there you have it, 14 is the right answer.
最終答案也出來了，應該為14。

Or is it? Dr Kevin Bowman, course leader for Mathematics at the University of Central Lancashire, told Mail Online that due to the ambiguity of the riddle, “there are an infinite amount of possible answers”.
不過，你真的確定了嗎？中央蘭開夏大學數學系的教學組長凱文·鮑曼博士告訴《每日郵報》，對這條謎語可以有多種解讀，“所以其實它的答案是開放的。”

英文來源：每日電訊報
編譯：杜娟