The bat and the ball

Three lines of maths that most people get wrong in under a second.

14 Apr, 2026

A bat and a ball cost £1.10 together. The bat costs £1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

Give me a hint

Check your answer by adding the two prices back together.

Reveal the answer

5p

If the ball is 5p, the bat is £1.05 and together they make £1.10. The answer that jumps out, 10p, makes the bat £1.10 and the pair £1.20.