Snow30:
Answer is 40, anyone that says other wise.....

4+1=5
2+5+4+1=12
3+6+2+5+4+1=21

8+11+3+6+2+5+4+1=40
Just add all the left hand sides at each step. There is no equation on top of 4+1, so there fore there is nothing to add to 4+1, so 4+1=5.

That is the correct answer and not 96. In maths 1+1 is always equals to 2. Therefore you can not bring in external numbers, or imaginary numbers and say it is the missing numbers,that are not mathematical related, when there are no spaces for them.(no missing gaps) You always solve with what you are given, what you see and not what you bring if they are not mathematically related like for example if x=2². We can bring in log and say log2 X=2 because they are mathematically related.

In the above there is no proof that the so called missing numbers are mathematically related to the shown numbers therefore you solve with what you have.

I had a rethink reading this. I had actually gotten 96 which is logically correct too.

the answer is 96 because 8*11=88+8=96 full stop