Even brainiacs need help with their homework.

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology were forced to do an about-face Monday after realizing that a report they released last month — which showed that drivers for Uber and Lyft netted as little as $3.37 an hour — was flawed.

“In retrospect the survey questions could and should have been worded more clearly,” Stephen Zoepf, lead author of the study, said in a Twitter post Monday evening.

By using a different methodology, Zoepf found that median profits for drivers were $8.55 an hour — or 2¹/₂ times greater than the $3.37 an hour Zoepf and his team of eggheads initially reported.

Zoepf’s first finding — that nearly 75 percent of drivers for the ride-sharing apps earn less than their state’s minimum wage and that 30 percent of drivers lose money driving for the apps — drew a storm of criticism from Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi.

“MIT = Mathematically Incompetent Theories (at least as it pertains to ride-sharing),” Khosrowshahi tweeted Friday.

The CEO’s criticism prompted Zoepf to take another look at his research.

Upon second thought, the MIT folks declared that 54 percent of drivers were below the minimum wage and 8 percent lost money.

The second methodology used by Zoepf resulted in an even more rosy picture for ride-hail drivers. It revealed median profits were $10 an hour, with 41 percent earning less than their state’s minimum wage and 4 percent losing money.

An Uber spokesperson said, “We thank Professor Zoepf for acknowledging a major shortcoming of his methodology and support his decision to conduct a thorough revision of the paper over the coming weeks.”

Lyft, however, had mixed feelings about Zoepf’s revision.

“When an academic study changes so dramatically in just a matter of days, that’s a real flag,” Lyft said in a statement Monday.

“While the revised results are not as inaccurate as the original findings, driver earnings are still understated,” Lyft said.