This short number riddle reads: “I am between 7 and 8, I am not 9. What am I?” It may appear to be asking for the next whole number, but the word between is the real clue.
What is the answer?
One perfectly valid answer is 7.5, or seven and a half.
Seven and a half is larger than 7 and smaller than 8, so it sits directly between those two numbers. And of course, it is not 9.
Why do some people get confused?
When we think of counting, we often picture whole numbers: 6, 7, 8, 9. There is no whole number strictly between 7 and 8, so the question may initially seem impossible.
But numbers also include fractions and decimals. Between 7 and 8 you can find 7.1, 7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 7.9, and infinitely many more.
Does this riddle have only one solution?
No. The wording does not say “exactly halfway” or provide another clue that singles out a particular value. That means 7.5 is a natural answer, but it is not the only correct one.
If the question had said “I am halfway between 7 and 8,” then the answer would specifically be 7.5.
That is the fun part of this puzzle: it rewards anyone who remembers that there are plenty of numbers between consecutive whole numbers.
Final answer: 7.5 is one valid solution. What number came to your mind first?
