What's your first answer to this problem?

[Martinus]

The problem:

1+4=5
2+5=12
3+6=21
8+11=?

A: [spoiler]96[/spoiler]
B: [spoiler]40[/spoiler]

I am curious because both answers work but I guess which one you go to first tells something about how you think.

[Valmy]

Answer B

[Admiral Yi]

Surely the plus sign should be replaced with another symbol.

[Eddie Teach]

To get answer A, translate x+y=C into [spoiler]x + xy = C[/spoiler]. I'm curious how to get B, but not enough to keep looking.

[Valmy]

[spoiler]You just keep adding the numbers to get B. So 1+4(=5)+2+5(=12)+3+6(=21)+8+11=40[/spoiler]

[CountDeMoney]

8 + 11 = [spoiler]19[/spoiler], you morons.

Lulz MAFFLETE GOLD

[Richard Hakluyt]

I got the 96 answer really quick and even when I looked at the spoiler couldn't see where the 40 came from 

Reflecting on CdM's comment, are all Polish arithmetic papers like this?

[Martinus]

I got the 96 answer really quick and even when I looked at the spoiler couldn't see where the 40 came from 

Reflecting on CdM's comment, are all Polish arithmetic papers like this?

[Eddie Teach]

even when I looked at the spoiler couldn't see where the 40 came from 

[spoiler]He's keeping a running tally of the totals of all the numbers on the left side of the four "equations"[/spoiler]

[Martinus]

I guess the answer A is more of a "nerd answer", as it spots the pattern that works on its own in each equation, even if the others do not exist.

Answer B is simpler but also one for people who see the broader picture. Sort of a "humanist answer".

I picked A, like most Languishites.

[frunk]

There's also many others:

[spoiler]
1+(1*4)=5
2+(2*5)=12
3+(3*6)=21
8+(4*11)=52 [/spoiler]

[spoiler]
1!/0!+4*1=5
2!/1!+5*2=12
3!/2!+6*3=21
8!/3!+11*4= 6764[/spoiler]

[spoiler]
1!/0!+4*1=5
2!/1!+5*2=12
3!/2!+6*3=21
8!/3!+11*8= 6808[/spoiler]

[spoiler]
1*(four+ne)-1=5
2*(five+two)-2=12
3*(three+six)-3=21
4*(eleven+ight)-4= 36[/spoiler]

[spoiler]
1*(fur+ne)=5
2*(five+two-1)=12
3*(three+six)=21
4*(lvn+ight-1)= 24[/spoiler]

[spoiler]
1*(fur+ne)=5
2*(five+two-1)=12
3*(three+six)=21
8*(lvn+ight-1)= 48[/spoiler]

Since the mathematical expressions aren't used in their normal meaning I'm pretty sure there are innumerable different results that could be considered to "work".

[Savonarola]

I got the 96 answer really quick and even when I looked at the spoiler couldn't see where the 40 came from 

Reflecting on CdM's comment, are all Polish arithmetic papers like this?

HP calculators use something called reverse Polish notation.  For the longest time I thought that was simply a generic put-down aimed at Pollocks.

[Admiral Yi]

fur? ne? wut?

[Maladict]

Other,  52

[Valmy]

I guess the answer A is more of a "nerd answer", as it spots the pattern that works on its own in each equation, even if the others do not exist.

Answer B is simpler but also one for people who see the broader picture. Sort of a "humanist answer".

I picked A, like most Languishites.

As an engineer I prefer the solution that uses the least amount of numbers.