We teach our kids to dial 911 if they ever need help, but one child took that lesson to a whole new level! When a young boy was struggling with his math homework, he decided the best way to get assistance was by calling for help. The only number he knew to call? 911. While the emergency line is meant for real crises, this kid seemed to think that math problems were just as urgent.

The 911 operator, doing their usual job, began by asking standard questions, trying to understand the situation. After a bit of confusion, the operator finally realized that the boy wasn’t in any danger—he simply needed help with his homework.

The entire conversation between the boy and the operator turned out to be pretty hilarious, and it has since gone viral. You can read the full interaction below, and there’s a YouTube video of the call at the end of this article, too.

Operator: 911, what’s your emergency?

Boy: I need help.

Operator: What’s wrong?

Boy: It’s my math.

Operator: Your mouth?

Boy: No, my math. I have to finish it. Can you help me?

Operator: Alright. What city are you in?

Boy: I just need help with my math.

Operator: I understand, but where do you live?

Boy: I don’t want to tell you. I just want to talk to you on the phone.

Operator: I can’t do that, but I can send someone to help you.

Boy: Okay.

Operator: What kind of math problem are you having trouble with?

Boy: Takeaways.

Operator: Oh, I see, you have to do subtraction.

Boy: Yes.

Operator: Okay, what’s the problem?

Boy: I need help with 8 minus 16.

Operator: Well, how much do you think that is?

Boy: I don’t know… One?

Operator: No, not quite. How old are you?

Boy: I’m four.

Operator: Four! That’s great. What’s the next problem?

Boy: This one’s five takeaways.

Operator: Alright, what’s 5 minus 5?

Boy: Five!

Operator: Not exactly, but close! What else do you need help with?

At this point, the boy’s mother walked in.

Mother: Johnny, what are you doing?

Boy: I’m getting help with my math from the police.

Mother: Did I say you should call them?

Boy: You told me to call someone if I needed help!

Mother: I didn’t mean the police!

It’s hard not to laugh at the innocence of this situation. This boy took his mom’s advice a little too literally, but it’s a reminder of how curious and eager kids are to learn—and to get help wherever they think they can find it, even if that means dialing 911.

While emergency operators are trained to handle all sorts of situations, this call certainly added a bit of lightheartedness to their day. And for the rest of us, it’s a cute reminder that sometimes kids take things very literally!