大象传媒

Cheryl鈥檚 birthday puzzle has become an unlikely internet sensation.

The seemingly baffling maths problem, posted on Facebook by Singaporean television, asks students to determine the birthday of 鈥淐heryl鈥� based on a series of short statements by 鈥淎lbert鈥� and 鈥淏ernard鈥�.

Why did it go viral, and should we all be taught this way?

Rob Eastaway, director of Maths Inspiration, said the example was one of a type of difficult logic puzzle that "does get people baffled".

The fact that people have disagreed vigorously about the correct answer helped the puzzle travel online, he added.

"Nothing is better for an internet debate than when people disagree about the answer."

Laura Clarke, a senior lecturer in education specialising in mathematics at the University of Winchester, whose PhD is on the Singapore bar model of mathematics, said more children would be encouraged to study mathematics if the subject was made more enjoyable.