Latest news with #arithmetic
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Simple looking math problem leaves people stumped - are you smarter than a 5th grader?
A simple arithmetic problem has left internet users scratching their heads - with only a few landing on the correct solution to this elementary school-level equation. While most people learned the concept needed to simplify these kinds of equations by the time they turned 10, many attempters drew a blank this time around. The key to getting to the bottom of this seemingly straightforward problem is to call upon every mathematicians' favorite acronym - PEMDAS. Each letter represents a math symbol in the order they are meant to be done when they come up in a problem. Anything inside parentheses (P) should be worked out first. Secondly, exponents (E) should be addressed. Next should be multiplication and division (MD), but multiplication does not necessarily have to come before division. The correct method is to address them from left to right as the are written in the equation. Lastly, addition and subtraction (AS). When only those two operations remain, the sum can be solved from left to right because the order makes no difference. Here's the equation, give it a go before reading on: Under the X post, shared by user BreakTheSilos, that first sparked the mathematical confusion, some users confidently claimed the answer was 0 or 1. But both solutions are incredibly incorrect. Applying PEMDAS, the first step to solving this problem is to tackle what's inside the parentheses: 3 + 5. After performing basic addition, you get 5, making the new equation 45 ÷ 9 (5). At this stage, some people fell into a trap. Instead of following PEMDAS, they decided to multiply 9 and 5, leaving them with the flawed expression 45 ÷ 45. Instead of this faulty method, you must remember that multiplication and division is to address them from left to right. Keeping that in mind, the correct second step is to solve 45 ÷ 9, which equals 5. Now, left with 5(5), the only thing to do is to multiply 5 x 5, finally getting you the correct answer of 25.
Daily Mail
08-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Grade school math problem confuses people but the answer is actually easy - can you solve it in 30 seconds?
A seemingly simple math problem has left social media users confused as they argue over the correct answer. The equation, shared by user @BholanathDutta on X, appears simple enough for grade school students - but users were left with different answers. The problem reads: 4 - (4 ÷ 4) x 2 = ? Can you solve the problem within 30 seconds? At first glance, it looks like basic arithmetic that a typical middle schooler could solve. Yet users commented conflicting answers, causing a debate. The majority of respondents confidently answered 2, while others wrote that they believed the correct answer to be -2. The confusion stems from a simple math rule - the order of operations. The acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction) determines which calculations to perform first in math equations. It's important to break down the problem step by step. 4 - (4 ÷ 4) x 2 = ? First, solve what's inside the parentheses: 4 ÷ 4 = 1 This gives us: 4 - 1 x 2 Next, perform the multiplication: 1 x 2 = 2 Finally, subtract: 4 - 2 = 2 The correct answer is 2. Those who arrived at -2 likely made the mistake of working from left to right without following the proper order of operations. Others could have calculated: 4 - 4 = 0, then 0 ÷ 4 = 0, then 0 x 2 = 0, giving them an incorrect final answer. This type of math puzzle regularly goes viral on social media platforms. Last week, @BholanathDutta shared another math riddle with followers, asking 'Can you solve this #math' alongside an image decorated with colorful flowers. The post shows a calculation that looks simple: 500 + 450 ÷ 5. The post has now been viewed more than 3,000 times, with dozens of commenters sharing their answers. But not everyone agrees on the solution. The overwhelming majority of respondents believe the answer is 590, with many users showing their working to prove their point. One user methodically explained their approach. They wrote: '500 + 450 ÷ 5 = ? 450 ÷ 5 = 90, 500 + 90 = 590.'
