Welcome to a fun and simple math brain teaser that has been shared standardly across the internet.
At first glance, this handwritten note on aged, vintage paper looks like a simple arithmetic trick.
The image shows a classic expression written in dark ink: 8 – 2 * 3 + 6.
Above the expression, a handwritten hint clearly warns us: “Answer is not 24”.
Why would anyone think the answer is 24 in the first place?
Many people make the mistake of solving the equation strictly from left to right.
If you calculate 8 – 2, you get 6.
Then, if you multiply 6 by 3, you get 18.
Finally, adding 6 to 18 gives you 24.
However, as the note correctly points out, 24 is entirely incorrect!
To solve this math puzzle accurately, we must follow the fundamental order of operations, known as PEMDAS or BODMAS.
This universal rule dictates that multiplication and division must always be calculated before addition and subtraction.
Let us break down the equation step by step using proper mathematical rules.
First, we need to locate and perform the multiplication operation in the middle.
We calculate 2 * 3, which equals 6.
Now, we replace 2 * 3 in our original equation with the number 6.
The expression now simplifies to: 8 – 6 + 6.
Next, when we have only addition and subtraction left, we process them sequentially from left to right.
We start with the first operation on the left: 8 – 6.
Subtracting 6 from 8 leaves us with 2.
Now our expression becomes very simple: 2 + 6.
Finally, we add 2 and 6 together.
2 + 6 equals 8.
Therefore, the mathematically correct and logical answer to this math puzzle is 8.