Jump directly to the content
IT’S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS

Adorable ten-year-old asks the POLICE for help with her maths homework… but they get it hopelessly wrong

A primary school student reached out to the police for help on her maths homework – but their response was a crime against education.

Ten-year-old Lena Draper decided to reach out to the Marion Police Department on Facebook after getting stuck on the tricky questions.

 When Lena first contacted the police department, she was met with an automated response
5
When Lena first contacted the police department, she was met with an automated responseCredit: Molly Draper / Facebook / LoveWhatMatters

Instead of ignoring her request, Ohio officer Lieutenant B.J. Gruber did his best to lend a hand.

Lena informed the policeman that she was stuck on the problem (8+29)x15.

He quickly responded with the tip: “Do the numbers in the parenthesis first so in essence it would be 37x15.”

After nailing the advice for the first question, Lieutenant Gruber was given a more difficult task.

Lena asked him for the solution of (90+27)+(29+15)x2.

 Puzzled Lena took to Facebook to ask her local police force for help
5
Puzzled Lena took to Facebook to ask her local police force for helpCredit: Molly Draper
 The officers hastily came to Lena's rescue when she told them she was struggling with the work
5
The officers hastily came to Lena's rescue when she told them she was struggling with the workCredit: Molly Draper / Facebook / LoveWhatMatters

The confident officer responded with what he believed to be the correct answer, advising: “Take the answer from the first parenthesis plus the answer from the second parenthesis and multiply that answer times two.

“Work left to right doing the work inside the parenthesis first.”

But embarrassingly, Facebook users were quick to notice that his maths solution didn’t quite add up.

To solve the problem, you must actually add the numbers in the second parentheses and multiply them by two, before adding the digits in the first set of brackets.

 Lieutenant Gruber (centre) was quick to respond to the baffled primary school student
5
Lieutenant Gruber (centre) was quick to respond to the baffled primary school studentCredit: Twitter
 Sadly the second solution to Lena's maths problem didn't quite add up
5
Sadly the second solution to Lena's maths problem didn't quite add upCredit: Molly Draper / Facebook / LoveWhatMatters

Lena’s mum Molly posted a snap of the adorable exchange on to Facebook after her daughter revealed that the kind officer had been helping her out.

She told : “I didn't believe her and asked for a screen shot. I thought it was pretty funny. And I love that they went ahead with it.

“I was happy, but not surprised that they responded so quickly. They are wonderful with their communication with the community.”

After Lieutenant Gruber was told about the mistake, he joked: “Hoping it is truly the thought that counts since apparently I cannot!

“Especially since the answer was wrong, it was very nice for Molly to acknowledge our attempt to help her daughter with some math homework.”

It's not the first time that adults have been left feeling stumped by a maths assignment aimed at kids.

A family recently shared a snap of a mindboggling problem, which had been handed to their SIX-YEAR-OLDS for homework. 

And this Year 2 maths question was another that left grown ups scratching their heads.

Topics