This tricky book riddle has been circulating on social media for years, challenging readers to think beyond the obvious. It is also an interesting interview question because it tests logical reasoning and attention to detail. Here is the challenge: A boy was playing with a book and tore out the pages numbered 7, 8, 100, 101, 222, and 223. How many sheets of paper did he actually remove? At first glance, the answer seems obvious, but there is a clever twist!

Before looking at the solution, take a moment to work it out yourself. Most people immediately assume that six pages were torn out because six numbers are listed. However, books are printed on both sides of each sheet of paper, meaning that two consecutive page numbers belong to the same physical sheet.

The Answer Explained

The key is to understand how pages are arranged in a book. Pages 7 and 8 are printed on opposite sides of the same sheet. Similarly, pages 99 and 100 belong to one sheet, while pages 101 and 102 belong to another. The same principle applies to pages 221 and 222, as well as pages 223 and 224.

Therefore, the boy removed five separate sheets of paper, not six individual pages. Each sheet contains two numbered pages, one on each side.

The Clever Trick Behind the Riddle

The challenge is designed to make you focus on the page numbers rather than the physical structure of a book. Once you understand how printing works, the answer becomes much easier to see. It’s a great reminder that sometimes solving a problem requires looking at it from a different perspective rather than simply counting what is presented.