Visual puzzles have taken over the internet — and while some seem simple at first glance, they often have a twist that trips up even the sharpest minds. This viral brain teaser is no different.
The image shows a circle divided into equal parts — like a pizza cut into slices — with a handwritten challenge:
“How many triangles?”
Most people immediately count 8 slices and confidently declare, “8 triangles!” But here’s the catch:
Look Carefully… You Might Be Missing Something
Let’s break it down:
- The circle is divided using 4 straight lines that intersect at the center.
- These lines create 8 segments, each shaped like a triangle.
But that’s not all. Look deeper and you’ll notice:
Combinations of smaller triangles form larger triangles.
For example:
- Any 2 adjacent triangles form a bigger triangle. (There are 8 of these)
- Any 4 adjacent triangles in a half-circle can also be seen as forming a triangle. (There are 2 of these)
- And the entire circle itself, while a circle, contains these layered triangle formations.
The Correct Answer
If you carefully count all the triangles — including both the obvious and the hidden ones — you’ll find:
There are 16 triangles in total.
Here’s how:
- 8 small individual triangles
- 4 larger triangles formed by combining 2 adjacent ones
- 2 even larger triangles formed by combining 4 adjacent ones
- 1 triangle formed by combining half the circle
- 1 giant triangle formed by the entire structure (interpreted creatively)
That’s 8 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 16 triangles.
So… did you get it right? Or did you fall into the 90% who missed it? 😉
