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A Facebook event, labeled as a “simple maths competition,” has garnered significant attention, becoming one of the platform’s most viral posts for six months. During the first quarter of 2025, it amassed approximately 51 million views, as reported in the company’s latest report on “widely viewed content.”
This would be an impressive stat for any single post, but it marks the second consecutive quarter where the “maths competition” has secured the number two spot on Meta’s list of widely viewed content. It also featured in the previous quarter’s report, where it attracted about 64.3 million views, according to an archived version of the report.
So, what is causing this random Facebook event — which is not genuinely an event — to exceed 100 million views? It appears to be a clever repackaging of an old engagement bait tactic. The event’s header image showcases a piece of paper with the phrase “only for genius,” followed by a seemingly simple equation. When shared as a post, this image is prominently displayed, resembling a normal image post. The design bears striking resemblances to other simple math equations that have gone viral on Facebook for nearly 15 years.
Examining the event page reveals that hundreds of thousands of users have engaged with it. Over 800,000 people indicated their participation for the July 8, 2024 event. Even now, nearly a year later, the page sees continual comments from users, most intent on earnestly explaining how to solve the equation (or debating interpretations). As Slate pointed out back in 2013, there’s a unique allure to debating basic arithmetic with strangers online.
Remarkably, it’s puzzling why this post continues its viral success months after its original posting. I reached out to the creator behind the post, Nigerian-based Ebuka Peter Ibeh, but did not receive an immediate response. The post’s performance surpasses that of any recent submissions from Ibeh, who has around 25,000 followers on Facebook.
Nonetheless, this post provides an intriguing insight into the bizarre content and dubious tactics that can unexpectedly achieve mega-viral status on Facebook. Meta has recently announced plans to crack down on creators sharing spammy posts on its platform, although it remains uncertain whether this kind of engagement bait falls under the content they intend to discourage.
