By Emily Turner • February 28, 2026 • Share
Picture this: you spend $800 on a cow and make $1,000 when you sell it. After some time has passed, you reinvest $1,100 in the cow and make $1,300 from its sale.
This cow-themed arithmetic riddle has been circulating online, capturing the inquisitive minds of math enthusiasts everywhere. It’s an excellent brain teaser that challenges you to figure out the total earnings from these transactions.
The initial sale of the cow seems straightforward enough. You bought it for $800 and sold it for $1,000, which nets you a $200 profit. That’s simple math, right?
But the puzzle doesn’t end there. You then decide to re-invest in the cow, this time purchasing it for $1,100. When you sell it again, you receive $1,300. What’s your profit now?
At first glance, this seems to be an easy question, but there’s more than meets the eye. You must consider both transactions together to determine the total profit. How much money did you actually earn from this entire series of cow trades?
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